ORLANDO - Everyone knows Dwight Howard can dunk and rebound and defend.

But who knew he could turn back time?

Well, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final, Howard did just that. He scored a playoff career-high 40 points as he and his Magic teammates beat the LeBron James-led Cavaliers 103-90 on Saturday night to tip off a party at the Amway Arena like it was 1995.

That's the first and only other time the Magic has advanced to the NBA Finals. The Magic plays the Western Conference champion Lakers in the Finals, which begin Thursday in Los Angeles.

So much for that highly anticipated Kobe Bryant showdown with James.

Not that Howard is a bad last-minute change to the programming.

Not the way he played from start to finish on this night. He was 14-of-21 from the field, showing his powerful dunks and his soft running hook shot, and 12-of-16 from the line. He added 14 rebounds and four assists.

James, the league's regular-season MVP, had 25 points (8 of 20 shooting), seven rebounds and seven assists. That was far from the stellar effort he had Thursday in Game 5, when he kept his team alive in the series with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

That was also far from the kind of effort the Cavaliers needed if they were to do something they hadn't done since Feb. 11, 2008 - win in Orlando. They had lost all four games in Orlando this season and five straight dating to last season.

"It's a big challenge," James said before Saturday's game. "We haven't done it in a while, so we're looking forward to the challenge. But if you're going to do something for the first time in a while, you might as well make it happen now."

But the Magic came out looking like the team intent on making something happen with Howard setting the tone with his assertiveness and relentlessness on offense.

He had 21 points and four offensive rebounds in the opening half alone. And in a play that epitomized the half, Howard outran Cavs forward Anderson Varejao downcourt, caught a long pass from reserve guard Anthony Johnson in stride and avoided James for a fastbreak dunk and a 49-34 lead.

With James not shooting much in the second quarter (0-for-3) and his teammates largely misfiring, the Magic took a seemingly commanding 58-40 halftime lead.

When James didn't draw a foul on a drive in the final seconds, Cleveland coach Mike Brown drew a technical as he was leaving the court that gave the Magic a free throw before the second half began. But after that made free throw, the Cavaliers went on an 8-0 run in less than minute, capped by a James pullup 3-pointer, to cut the deficit to 59-48.

Howard, however, had an answer whenever his team needed one.

He turned offensive rebounds into baskets, he drove for a dunk, he hit a hook, and he hit 2 of 3 free throws. When the Cavs tried to double-team him, he found open teammates for easy shots, including forward Mickael Pietrus for a layup and an 86-70 lead to end the third quarter.

The Magic won both regular-season meetings against the Lakers, but both times guard Jameer Nelson led the team in scoring (27 and 28 points). Nelson has been out since tearing his right labrum Feb. 2.

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