Elton's Double Double & 1st Place Clippers Beat Shaq-less Heat

Elton Brand scored a season-high 37 points and added 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 99-89 victory over the Miami Heat in a matchup of division leaders Monday night.

Sam Cassell added 18 points and 13 assists for the Clippers, who have won two straight and remain atop the Pacific Division.

Dwyane Wade scored 29 points for the Heat, the Southeast Division leaders despite losing two in a row. Jason Williams and Alonzo Mourning each added 17 points.

Wade and Mourning, who had 12 rebounds, combined for all of Miami's fourth-quarter points.

With Los Angeles ahead by three going into the fourth, Brand scored eight of the Clippers' first 12 points, extending their lead to 90-77. After Miami ran off five in a row, Cuttino Mobley hit a 3-pointer that restored the lead to double digits.

It stayed that way as Brand punctuated the final minutes with a driving dunk and a jumper as fans chanted "MVP! MVP!"

Corey Maggette, who had 13 points, sprained his left foot at the end of the third quarter and didn't return for Los Angeles.

The Heat became the latest victim of the Clippers' defense, shooting 40 percent for the game. The Clippers' opponents had combined to shoot 41 from the floor in the season's first 16 games.

The teams played an even third period, each scoring 26 points, with the Clippers never ahead by more than seven points. Maggette scored their final six points and Los Angeles took a 78-75 lead into the final 12 minutes.

Miami played without Shaquille O'Neal, not yet recovered from a sprained right ankle that has kept him out of all but two games this season.