Elton Brand scored 28 points and Chris Kaman added 20 as the Los Angeles Clippers easily beat Miami 110-95 on Wednesday night, hours after Heat coach Pat Riley deactivated two forwards whose body fat readings aren't within team parameters, then began an indefinite leave of absence because of his knee and hip problems.

Los Angelas Clippers forward Elton Brand (L) is defended by Miami Heat center Michael Doleac during a game against the Los Angelas Clippers during NBA basketball action in Miami, Florida, January 3, 2007. [Reuters]

Jason Kapono had 19 points for Miami (13-18), which has lost four straight, is five games under .500 for the first time this season and opens a six-game Western Conference road swing in Phoenix on Friday night.

Corey Maggette had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Quinton Ross scored 13 points, and Daniel Ewing and Shaun Livingston each added 12 for the Clippers (15-17), who outscored Miami 30-13 in the third quarter and improved to 3-11 on the road.

Rookie Robert Hite had a career-high 16 points for the Heat. Alonzo Mourning also scored 16 and Jason Williams added 13 for Miami, playing its first game under Ron Rothstein. Suns 100, Raptors 98=

At Toronto, Steve Nash scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to lead Phoenix over Toronto.

Nash was only 1-for-7 from the field through three quarters, but he recovered in the fourth. The two-time MVP _ dubbed "Captain Canada" _ scored eight of Phoenix's final nine points.

Nash also had nine assists for the Suns, who are 22-3 since starting the season 1-5.

Toronto's Chris Bosh returned from a 12-game absence and had 26 points and 14 rebounds. Wizards 108, Bucks 105=

At Washington, Gilbert Arenas hit a long 3-pointer at the buzzer, capping a 32-point game and giving Washington the victory over Milwaukee.

Arenas hit his 32-footer, turned and strolled calmly away as if it were another shot on the playground, even as his teammates mobbed him in celebration. Arenas had three things working against him _ a sore shooting shoulder, the Bucks' zone defense and the old leather ball which he dislikes _ but he went 12-for-25 from the field and had 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Caron Butler added 29 points, seven rebounds and a career-high nine assists, and Antawn Jamison had 22 points for the Wizards, who earned a split of a home-and-home series. The Bucks beat Washington 119-102 in Milwaukee on Saturday.

Michael Redd led the Bucks with 27 points. Mo Williams scored 24, and Charlie Bell had 14. Grizzlies 144, Warriors 135=

At Memphis, Tennessee, Mike Miller scored a season-high 33 points and Pau Gasol added 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead Memphis past Golden State and to the highest point total in franchise history.

Miller connected on 11 of 15 shots, including 9-of-12 from 3-point range, while Gasol shot 9-of-14. Stromile Swift had 26 points and nine rebounds, while Rudy Gay added 22 points for Memphis. Damon Stoudamire scored 18 points and had 16 assists.

The victory overshadowed a career high of 36 points by Golden State's Matt Barnes as seven Warriors scored in double figures.

Baron Davis scored 22 points and had 13 assists for Golden State, while Mike Dunleavy scored 16 points. Mickael Pietrus and Kelenna Azubuike, signed by the Warriors on Tuesday after averaging 26 points with the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League, had 15 apiece. Cavaliers 107, Celtics 104=

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