Magic spokesman Joel Glass says that point guard Jameer Nelson is ahead of schedule in his rehab from a shoulder injury.

Glass added that his status for the NBA Finals remains uncertain.

Team president Bob Vander Weide told The Orlando Sentinel after Saturday's win over Cleveland that Nelson would consult doctors about a possible comeback.

The All-Star guard has been out since early February, and Magic general manager Otis Smith has maintained that his shoulder injury is season-ending.

The Magic were 2-0 against the Lakers in the regular season.

Orlando was led by All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson in both of the victories, but they are unlikely to have his services in the NBA Finals.

Nelson has been out since February with a shoulder injury, but there have been rumors that he might be able to play a few minutes for the Magic.

Kobe Bryant had his first triple-double since 2005 on Jan. 16 against Orlando, when he posted 28 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

The Magic could get All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson back for the NBA Finals, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Magic president Bob Vander Weide admitted that the team is trying to decide whether Nelson can return after undergoing shoulder surgery in mid-February.

Nelson wouldn't be in prime condition, but "the chance to get an All-Star point guard on the floor for 15 minutes a game ... you'd have to look at that," Vander Weide said.

As recently as a week and a half ago, the Magic said that Nelson was still out for the entire postseason.

Dwight Howard says that no one believed him two years ago when he predicted that the Magic would win a title.

"Everybody laughed," Howard told the Orlando Sentinel. "I mean everyone."

The center made his prediction two years ago.

"They all said, 'Yeah, right, Dwight,' " Howard recalls of what his Olympic teammates said last summer in Beijing.

The Magic will look to put the finish touches on their title run beginning Thursday against the Lakers.

The Magic defeated the Cavaliers 103-90 on Saturday night to advance to the NBA Finals for just the second time in franchise history.

Orlando jumped out to a 18-point lead at halftime and held off a few charges by Cleveland in the third and fourth quarters.

Dwight Howard starred with 40 points and 14 rebounds and Rashard Lewis added 18 points and 8 boards in the Game 6 victory.

The Magic hit 46% of their shots, outrebounded the Cavaliers by 13, and went 17-for-21 from the foul line.

Mickael Pietrus scored 14 points for Orlando, single-handedly outscoring Cleveland's bench.

LeBron James had 25 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss, a strong effort but one that paled in comparison to his previous performances in the series.

The NBA's MVP went 8-for-20 from the field, and didn't receive enough help from his supporting cast.

Mo Williams had 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting, Delonte West added 20 points on 9-for-19 shooting, and Wally Szczerbiak went just 1-for-5 from the field.

The Magic will face the Lakers in the NBA Finals beginning on Thursday.

LeBron James dominated the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 112-102 win over Orlando in Thursday's Game 5.

Afterward, he admitted that the Cavaliers' coaching staff had a plan in place to exploit the Magic's defense when the time was right.

"I knew there was going to be an opportunity to press the gas on the offensive end," James said. "It was something the players and coaches came up with to exploit their defense and take advantage of my shooters."

The NBA's MVP scored or assisted on 32 straight of Cleveland's points from late in the third quarter to late in the fourth.

James had 17 points and 4 assists in the fourth, allowing him to finish with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy admitted that James was difficult to stop with the game on the line.

"They're giving him the ball in the middle of the floor. The game is all LeBron all the time," Van Gundy said. "It is a difficult area to double team in because of shooters and his passing. It gets real tough because he has shooters and if he gets in the lane it is automatically a foul."

Rafer Alston told the Sentinel on Thursday that he wants to remain with the Magic after his contract expires next season.

He will make $5.5M during the 2009-10 season, which is an expensive price tag for a back-up point guard.

During the post-game press conference, Dwight Howard was subdued and appeared frustrated after the Magic's game 5 loss in Cleveland.

When asked if he can be as physical as he wants to be, Howard replied with a curt "Nope" but did not say anything else.  Howard fouled out in the fourth period.

Howard said the Magic "bounce back well" in looking forward to game 6 in Orlando.  The Magic lead 3-2 and will try to close out the Eastern Conference Championship at home.

The Cavs avoided elimination by beating the Magic 112-102 in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena.

LeBron James carried the load, erasing a one point Magic lead entering the final period.  James recorded a triple double with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

"That's what great players do," said Mike Brown about his superstar's performance.

The Magic lead the series 3-2 and will host Game 6 in Orlando.

TNT's coverage of the Eastern Conference Finals is averaging a 5.2 national rating, up 27 percent from last year, when it carried the Western Conference finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.

Orlando's 116-114 overtime victory Tuesday that gave the Magic a 3-1 lead over the top-seeded Cavaliers drew 10.1 million viewers, making it the most watched NBA playoff game in cable TV history.