O'Neal was dealt from the Los Angeles Lakers to Miami in July 2004, and helped the Heat win the NBA title in 2006. But after averaging 19.6 points and 9.1 rebounds in three-plus injury-plagued seasons, the big man was traded to Phoenix (34-26) on Feb. 6, 2008.

He's yet to play in Miami (31-28) since the move, but was in Florida on Tuesday night to face current Orlando center Dwight Howard and the Southeast Division-leading Magic - the team that selected O'Neal first overall in 1992.

Howard scored two more points than O'Neal, whose technical foul with 3:38 left contributed to the Magic's late surge in the Suns' eventual 111-99 loss.

"I'm really too old to be trying to outscore 18-year-olds," O'Neal said, referring to the 23-year-old Howard. "It's not really my role anymore."

O'Neal finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Jason Richardson scored 27 for Phoenix, which lost for just the third time in nine games since the All-Star break. Steve Nash, meanwhile, had 20 points and eight assists after missing the previous three contests with a sprained right ankle.

Phoenix may have stumbled in the opener of its current four-game road trip, but has fared better in recent visits to Miami, winning three straight there. The Suns have a good chance of extending that streak if they get another solid effort from the resurgent O'Neal.

O'Neal, who turns 37 Friday, is averaging 18.2 points this season but has scored 24.0 per contest over his last seven, helping the Suns move within two games of eighth place in the Western Conference.

He's averaged 24.0 points and 10.9 rebounds in 28 career games versus the Heat, but a 12-point, nine-rebound performance in his first matchup against them since the trade was bested by Wade, whose 43 points led Miami to a 107-92 victory in Phoenix on Nov. 28.

Wade, among the league's leading scorers with 29.2 points, has been even more productive lately. He's averaging 34.2 points and 8.9 assists over his last nine contests, eclipsing the 40-point mark in each of his last two games and three times during that span.

But after scoring 46 points - four shy of the career high he set Feb. 22 - in Saturday night's come-from-behind win over New York, Wade's 41 weren't enough to prevent a 107-100 loss to Central-leading Cleveland on Monday night.

Miami led 91-80 following Wade's dunk with 7:52 remaining, but the team shot 2-for-17 with four turnovers the rest of the way, getting outscored 27-9.

"That's a tough one to swallow," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We had opportunities ... and just couldn't close the game."

The Heat have alternated wins and losses in their last 10 and are 3-1 in their last four at the AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami's three-game homestand concludes Wednesday.

Wade has averaged 28.9 points in seven career matchups against the Suns.