Boston @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 25, 2019 ) Toronto 106, Boston 112

The Boston Celtics have several players capable of taking over a game offensively, and Jayson Tatum is taking his turn to star of late. Tatum and the Celtics will try to push the current winning streak to four in a row when they visit the depleted but pesky Toronto Raptors on Wednesday in a Christmas Day showdown.

Tatum scored 22 of his career-high 39 points in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 119-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets and is averaging 29.7 points during the three-game winning streak. "I just tried to stay aggressive," Tatum told reporters. "We all have that mentality on this team. What happened on the last play? You just forget it and keep playing. I feel we've done a good job this year of (finding) different guys who have had really good nights. Just try to make the right play and find the guy who's hot. Felt good just to see some shots go in." The Raptors are down three key players with Pascal Siakam (groin), Marc Gasol (hamstring) and Norman Powell (shoulder) out but were winners of five in a row before taking the Pacers to overtime in Indiana on Monday and falling 120-115. "Better start and rebounding," Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry told reporters of what was missing in the loss. "But, I mean, listen, we gutted it out, we played our butts off, gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, but unfortunately we came up short."

TV: Noon ET, ESPN, NBCS Boston, Sportsnet One (Toronto)

ABOUT THE CELTICS (20-7): Kemba Walker (22.6 points) leads the team in scoring but Boston is deep enough to survive an off night - as it did when Walker scored two points on 0-of-6 shooting in a 114-93 victory over Detroit on Friday - from any of its top scorers. "We just need to keep doing that, keep finding other guys, just keep making the right play over and over," Boston coach Brad Stevens told reporters after Sunday's win. "I thought all the plays (Tatum) made attacking the basket and shooting the ball were right. Just focus on that. Don't worry about anything else." The Celtics shot 52.6 percent from the floor in Sunday's win.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (21-9): Lowry is stepping up during the latest rash of injuries and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, before collecting 30 points, nine assists and six rebounds against the Pacers. Veteran big man Serge Ibaka is taking on a bigger role as well and moved into the starting lineup with Gasol out, averaging 17 points and eight rebounds in three games in that role. Guard Fred VanVleet collected 21 points and 11 assists on Monday and is averaging 16.3 points over the last three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Celtics SF Gordon Hayward (foot) sat out the last three games but is expected to play Wednesday.

2. Raptors SF OG Anunoby collected 15 points and 12 rebounds on Monday for his third double-double of the season.

3. Boston downed Toronto 112-106 at home on Oct. 25 behind 25 points apiece from Tatum and Brown.

PREDICTION: Celtics 113, Raptors 108