Shaquille O'Neal scored 27 points to lead six players in double figures as the Miami Heat improved to 15-2 against the Eastern Conference with a 117-107 triumph over intrastate rival the Orlando Magic.
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Van Gundy's team had no answer for the Magic's speed and accuracy in the first half as Orlando shot nearly 55 percent from the floor en route to a 63-54 lead at the break.
Even Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who scored 22 points, was impressed with the way Orlando ran the floor.
"They just maintained an incredible pace," Wade said. "It was so fast that even Lance Armstrong wouldn't have been able to keep up with them."
But when a fan yelled out to him at halftime that he needed to talk to his team about its transition defense, Van Gundy only could nod in agreement as he walked toward the locker room.
"It's funny because that's exactly what we talked about, and we came out and played better 'transitional' defense in the second half, so that fan was right on the money," Van Gundy said.
Eddie Jones added 25 points and triggered a key late run for the East-leading Heat, who won an eighth straight game for the first time since 1998.
Miami trailed, 103-102, before Jones nailed a 3-pointer with 4:53 remaining to start a 13-0 run. Keyon Dooling ended the burst with a 3-pointer of his own with 1:33 left, effectively putting away the game.
"When you get the opportunity, you just have to step up and make your shots," said Dooling, who along with Christian Laettner came off the bench with a 10-point effort to spark Miami down the stretch.
O'Neal, whose distribution of the ball helped open up the court in the offensive end at crunch time, said the Heat forced Orlando out of its game in the fourth quarter.
"We did a real good job of getting back on defense, and I thought our bench came up huge tonight," O'Neal said. "We're really focused now and starting to get in a nice flow, and that can only lead to more positive things for this team."
Orlando shot 51 percent (40-of-78) but could not stop Miami, which connected on 52 percent (43-of-83).
"We could not make a shot down the stretch. We could not finish the game," Orlando coach Johnny Davis said. "They go to Shaq and that creates problems for you. ... You have to honor that."
Steve Francis scored 31 points, Cuttino Mobley added 22 and Grant Hill 20 for the Magic, who were swept by the Heat last season.
"They are supposedly the best team in the East and we were right there," Francis said. "Some of the mistakes we made down the stretch really hurt us but I still believe in our team."