ORLANDO, Florida,  (Reuters) – The Orlando Magic  rallied for a 111-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday,  the home team winning a game highlighted by a physical tussle  between Dwight Howard and former favourite son Shaquille O’Neal.

Howard scored 21 points and eight rebounds to O’Neal’s 19  points and 11 rebounds, but the latter drew a technical with  three and a half minutes remaining and Orlando took advantage  by reeling off eight successive points to build a comfortable  lead.

“I thought Dwight had a terrific second half,” Magic coach  Stan Van Gundy told reporters.

Howard, who like O’Neal possesses extreme confidence in his  ability on the court, scored only four points in a foul-prone  first half but collected 17 in the second, including two free  throws after O’Neal’s foul.

The 23-year-old was obviously upset by O’Neal’s earlier  remarks that Howard was his understudy at best.

“I think that Shaq was really trying to get in my head,”  Howard told reporters.

“I respect my elders and I’m not going to get into a war of  words with anybody. There’s no need for it.”

COACH DISAPPOINTED

Van Gundy, however, had plenty to say about O’Neal, who  turns 37 tomorrow.

“I was shocked… and very disappointed,” the Magic coach  said while accusing O’Neal of “flopping” — a basketball term  for a defensive player intentionally falling down in an attempt  to draw a charging foul.

“Let’s stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did  that tonight,” Van Gundy said.

O’Neal also expressed disappointment at the Magic’s  strategy of double-teaming him instead of letting him and  Howard go head-to-head.

“I like to play people one-on-one,” he told reporters. “My  whole career, I had to play people one-on-one. I not once had  to double and not once asked for a double.

“I’d like to show people I’m still unstoppable,” he said.

A six-minute cold snap by the Suns also contributed to  their downfall as the Magic outscored them 33-18 in the fourth  quarter.

Phoenix led 91-88 with 7:26 remaining after Jason  Richardson’s three-pointer, but the visitors did not score  another field goal until 1:25 was left on the clock.

By then the Magic had the game under control at 105-97.

Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 29 points and 12 rebounds.  Hedo Turkoglu added 22 points.

Richardson paced visiting Phoenix with 27 points and  playmaker Steve Nash had 20 points, eight assists and seven  rebounds. Nash had missed the previous three Suns games with a  sprained ankle.