Sports

EWING PROPHETIC AS MAGIC BEAT CELTICS IN GAME 7

BOSTON — Patrick Ewing, Orlando’s assistant coach, finally got a guarantee right.

No Kevin Garnett. No Leon Powe. Not enough Stephon Marbury. And no Celtics repeat.

The Magic dethroned the defending-champion Celtics, knocking them out in a 101-82 Game 7 rout at the new Boston Garden to move to the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron James’ Cavaliers. Cleveland will be heavily favored in a series that starts Wednesday.

“The guys did their job and we got the win,” Ewing told The Post. “I’m very proud. They backed up my prediction. I’m very happy about that. They gave me a lot of trash. I’m just happy we got the win and we’re moving on.”

Ewing was mocked in New York for his guarantees because they always turned out wrong, and Doc Rivers said he was relieved to hear The Big Fella remark on the John Thompson show, “We will win. And I will tell you this, even though I’m not playing, I will guarantee a win.”

“What is he supposed to say, guarantee a loss?” said a smiling Dwight Howard afterward. “There was talk about Patrick’s through his career but he believes in us.”

All the Celtics’ Game 7 history, the shamrocks, leprechauns and Ewing jinx meant zilch last night as the Magic — headed by Hedo Turkoglu — drained 3-pointers from the Charles River. Orlando hit 13 of 20 treys to prevent a 18th Celtics championship banner.

Orlando’s 10-0 run in the opening 3:01 of fourth quarter punched out the Celtics for good as the Magic surged ahead, 76-61, capped by a Turkoglu traditional 3-point play.

Turkoglu finished with a team-high 25 points on 9 of 12 shooting with 12 assists, and Ewing protégé Howard powered for 12 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Celtics star Paul Pierce came up small — 16 points on 4 of 13 shooting as anemic Boston shot 39 percent. Without Garnett and Powe, Boston’s big-man troubles were severe, with Glen “Big Baby” Davis a starter and Brian Scalabrine first big man off the bench.

“I think all healthy we’re still the best team in the NBA,” Pierce said. “Injuries happen. It [stinks]. I hope next year, with all our guys, we’re still the team to beat.”

Other than the game’s first bucket, Orlando led throughout. The Celtics were 20-5 in Game 7s — 17-3 at home — while Orlando was playing in only its third.

“They’re a helluva basketball team and probably played their best game,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

The New York City point guard advancing to the conference finals is Rafer “Skip to My Lou” Alston (15 points), not Marbury. Ex-Knick Marbury played 13:46, scored 4 points on 1 of 4 shooting with three turnovers, never fully adjusting to his small role.

“He’s got a lot of confidence on us as players,” Alston said of Ewing. “He was a very confident player. I just didn’t like when I saw the other times he’s made predictions. I’m a big-time Knick fan, so I remember. It wasn’t pretty, the ending.”

This was pretty for the Magic. Despite the frenzied Beantown crowd, the Magic looked to be the looser team in the first quarter and stormed to a 22-9 lead with 5:02 left in the first quarter after a Turkoglu’s 3-pointer.

The Magic made 9 of their first 12 shots and nailed 7 of 10 treys in the half. And when Orlando wasn’t making perimeter bombs, Howard cut loose for three monster dunks in the quarter. The signature moment of Boston’s woes came when center Kendrick Perkins was blocked inside, gathered the rebound and missed consecutive lay-ins late in the third.

marc.berman@nypost.com