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Celtics-Heat Preview

Jan 5, 2010 - 11:44 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Boston (24-8) at Miami (17-15), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The age and durability of the Boston Celtics' core hardly seemed to be an issue when they trotted out the same starters for their first 26 games and suffered only five losses.

Suddenly, they're dealing with a myriad of health problems.

Kevin Garnett remains out and Rajon Rondo's status is uncertain, although Paul Pierce is expected to play for the first time in six games Wednesday night when the Celtics open a three-game road trip against the Miami Heat.

Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen are all at least 32, but nothing ailed the Big Three - or Rondo or center Kendrick Perkins - as Boston started 21-5 and seemed to be re-emerging as the Eastern Conference's top team.

Garnett, however, missed three of the past six games with leg problems, Pierce sat out the last five following left knee surgery while a sore left hamstring kept Rondo out of Saturday's game against Toronto.

The Celtics (24-8) entered that contest having lost three in a row, but Boston's latest makeshift lineup helped snap the losing streak. Allen scored 23 points and Rasheed Wallace added 16, and the Celtics won 103-96 despite starting a backcourt of Tony Allen and little-used J.R. Giddens.

"I thought we showed up with the attitude that we're going to find a way to win," coach Doc Rivers said. "We didn't know how, but we're going to find it."

Though Garnett isn't expected to play on this trip, Rondo and Pierce worked out with the first unit at practice Tuesday. Rondo is expected to be a game-time decision, while Pierce, whose 47.3 percentage from 3-point range is third-best in the league, is likely to play even though he says he's not 100 percent.

"I'm coming back because I feel good," Pierce told the Celtics' official Web site. "I don't feel any pressure at all to come back out here. I wouldn't do that to myself (and) I wouldn't do that to my body, especially at this point and age of my career."

Perkins and Eddie House missed practice Tuesday with the flu. Perkins traveled with the team and could play Wednesday, but House won't make the trip.

Perkins had 14 points and 13 rebounds in Boston's 92-85 win at Miami on Nov. 29, its ninth in 10 games in the series.

The Heat's Dwyane Wade missed two of those contests, and was held to 20.4 points per game in the other eight.

Like Boston, the Heat (17-15) entered their latest contest with a three-game losing streak, but Wade and Michael Beasley made sure it wouldn't extend any further. Wade had 28 points and Beasley added 22 as Miami blew out visiting Atlanta 92-75 on Monday night.

"We're far from a perfect group," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "But this group does have a spirit ... we've shown an ability to bounce back and have some resiliency, and it was a strong and important win."

Miami won despite starting Joel Anthony at center in place of Jermaine O'Neal, who missed the game with a hip flexor and groin strain.

O'Neal had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the Heat's first meeting with Boston, and Spoelstra said he hopes to have his center available despite referring to the injury as a lingering concern.

Beasley averaged 20.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in his last three games against the Celtics.