Miami @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 3, 2019 ) Boston 112, Miami 102

The Boston Celtics are one of three Eastern Conference teams still unbeaten at home and they'll try to carry that trend through a home-heavy portion of the schedule beginning Wednesday against the Miami Heat. The Celtics, who are coming off a 1-1 trip to New York City, are 7-0 at TD Garden entering a stretch in which they play eight of 11 in Boston.

They expect to begin the run without do-everything guard Marcus Smart, who is doubtful with an abdomen contusion suffered in Sunday's 113-104 win over the Knicks. "He's only going to play if he's a hundred percent, or close," coach Brad Stevens told reporters after Smart was unable to practice Tuesday. The Heat handed the Toronto Raptors their first home loss Tuesday night with a 121-110 victory in overtime. Jimmy Butler scored the first eight points in the extra session as part of his fifth career triple-double as Miami improved to 7-5 on the road.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), NBCS Boston

ABOUT THE HEAT (15-5): Butler finished with 22 points, a season-high 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the impressive win at Toronto. Duncan Robinson also had 22 points while making 6-of-9 3-pointers, improving to 14-of-22 from long distance over a three-game span. Kendrick Nunn is trending in the other direction, missing all nine of his 3-point attempts in the win over the Raptors to fall to 2-for-20 over the same three-game stretch.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (14-5): Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and Jaylen Brown added 28 in the contest at Madison Square Garden as Boston overcame Smart's scoreless 20 minutes and a 6-for-18 shooting effort by Kemba Walker. Their efforts also helped the Celtics get through some sluggishness that had them down nine points midway through the third quarter. "If there is one thing we're going to do it's to stay positive with each other," Walker told reporters of the strong finish. "We stuck with it. We stayed together. There's going to be more games like this. It's a long year."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Celtics PG Brad Wanamaker is 12-for-19 from the field in a three-game stretch since missing all eight of his shots in a win over Sacramento on Nov. 25.

2. Heat PG Goran Dragic (groin) sat out Tuesday's game and already has been ruled out for the visit to Boston.

3. Miami won the first meeting last season before Boston took the next three.

PREDICTION: Celtics 109, Heat 104