NBA notes

MARTIN, MAGGETTE SUSPENDED: Kenyon Martin and Corey Maggette were suspended for two games without pay by the NBA on Wednesday, a day after they were ejected from a Clippers-Nets game for fighting.

The players threw punches in the third quarter of the Nets' 92-75 win Tuesday night, after New Jersey's Martin committed a hard foul on Maggette on a drive.

Maggette appeared to shove Martin to the court, and Martin got up and went after Maggette. Each player threw two punches.

Maggette will serve his suspension during the Clippers' games at Philadelphia on Wednesday and at Toronto on Friday. Martin will miss games at Philadelphia on Friday and against Washington on Jan. 14.

BAKER'S SETBACK: Celtics coach Jim O'Brien saw a decline in Vin Baker's play and suspected that the forward may have faltered in his treatment for alcoholism.

"This was not necessarily a complete shock to me," O'Brien said Wednesday, one day after Baker was suspended for three games for failing to comply with the conditions of his aftercare program.

"I saw a deterioration in his play — what I would consider a significant deterioration in his play from the beginning of the year. I was not sure of what the problem was. I knew that he was not the player he was a month ago."

Baker scored in double figures in 18 of his first 25 games with the Celtics. Over the next 10 games, he reached double figures just three times.

"I hope it's just a phase of the program that leads to the better outcome," said Wyc Grousbeck, a managing partner with the Celtics. "It was doing great for a long time. I can tell you everybody in the Celtics organization is feeling badly for Vin, and supportive."

O'Brien, Grousbeck and team captain Paul Pierce said they haven't spoken to Baker since the suspension.

"Calls are out and I expect that we will be talking to Vin very soon," Grousbeck said.

Baker is scheduled to miss home games Wednesday against Orlando and Friday against Cleveland and a road game Sunday against Houston.

"It's an unfortunate circumstance. We really give our support to Vinny," Pierce said. "We're here to lend a helping hand. Right now he's going through a difficult time."

"It's an ongoing struggle and there are ups and downs along the way," Grousbeck said. "He's come so far that I hope he can keep going forward."

NETS WAIVE PAIR: The New Jersey Nets waived backup point guard Robert Pack and center Mikki Moore on Wednesday. The moves clear roster space for Eddie Griffin, who was waived by Houston last month and is expected to sign with the Nets this week. Griffin is a former Seton Hall star and the seventh overall pick in the 2001 draft.