Washington Wizards feel the need for speed to beat Miami Heat

Describing how the Wizards had dismantled what had been the NBA's No. 1 defense in terms of lowest shooting percentage allowed, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said: "Speed, speed, smaller lineup, smaller lineup, more speed.

"It felt like they were going downhill most of the game, and we couldn't get them to flatten out."

The Wizards were without center Marcin Gortat, who was back in Poland with his sick mother, and forwards Nene and Drew Gooden, who both have calf injuries.

In addition, three Wizards played hurt - John Wall (knee), Gary Neal (groin) and Kris Humphries (ankle).

Wall and Neal, though, did not look hurt.

Wall had 26 points and seven assists, and Neal contributed 21 points off the bench.

"John is one of the toughest players I've ever seen," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said of Wall.

"It takes a lot for him to miss a game. If you remember last year in the playoffs, it took five broken bones in his hand before he was going to sit out a game."

Neal, who signed with the Wizards in July, fell just two points off his season high.

"Gary was big off the bench," Wittman said. "He was probably the most consistent guy we had throughout the game."

Bradley Beal scored 21 points and had perhaps the game's biggest play. With 1:59 left in the game and the score tied 103-103, Beal stole the ball at midcourt from Heat guard Dwyane Wade and drove in for a dunk.

Neal then added a three-pointer and a layup to put Washington up 110-103 with 34.9 seconds left.

Wade had 26 points and nine assists, and Goran Dragic had a season-high 20 points and nine assists.

"We played a bad game," Wade said. "It wasn't about the offensive end. We gave up 114 points. It was all about the defensive end of the floor."

True to Wade's point, Miami lost despite shooting 59.4 percent from the floor. But the Heat allowed Washington to shoot 50 percent overall and nine of 18 three-pointers.

Miami received 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists from Chris Bosh, who was upset with the officiating and was ejected in the final minute.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 26 points as the San Antonio Spurs embarrassed the woeful Philadelphia 76ers 119-68.

The Spurs rested Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, while Kawhi Leonard did not play because of illness.

San Antonio shot a season-high 61.8 percent from the floor and recorded 32 assists on a season-high-tying 46 field goals. The Spurs' point total was also a season high, and they limited the Sixers to their season low.

Elsewhere, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry compiled 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Toronto Raptors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 102-93.

Terrence Ross added 22 points -- including nine in the fourth quarter -- for the Raptors, who had lost their previous two games.

The Dallas Mavericks beat the New York Knicks 104-97 at Madison Square Garden.

Isaiah Thomas scored a game-high 22 points, including all four of his three-point attempts, as Boston beat New Orleans 111-93 at the Smoothie King Center.

The Celtics (12-9) led 53-44 at halftime, extended their lead to 81-67 at the end of three quarters and led by as many as 22 in the fourth quarter. The victory gave the Celtics a 3-2 record on their five-game road trip.

Suns forward Mirza Teletovic grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a fade-away shot with 0.3 seconds remaining to lead Phoenix to a 103-101 comeback win over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

Teletovic's rebound was off an open three-pointer taken by Jon Leuer from the corner with two seconds left, after the Suns (9-13) battled back from a 16-point deficit to tie the game.

Milwaukee's John Henson blocked Meyers Leonard's shot to deny Portland a possible game-winner as the Bucks beat the Trail Blazers 90-88, and DeAndre Jordan scored a team-high 20 points, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 110-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.

Finally, Cody Zeller led a balanced attack with 20 points as the Charlotte Hornets cruised to a 104-84 victory over the Detroit Pistons.