Rockets trounce Heat in battle of undefeated teams

The offseason demise of the Houston Rockets was greatly exaggerated.

The Rockets used a strong fourth quarter to pull away from the Miami Heat with ease in South Beach on Tuesday, winning 108-91 in a battle between two unbeaten teams. 

Houston improved to 5-0 with the win, finally adding a marquee opponent to its resume. Prior to Tuesday, Houston had beaten non-playoff teams in the Lakers, Jazz, Celtics and 76ers. Even with a weaker schedule, 5-0 is 5-0. Four road wins and an average victory margin of 14.2, plus elite performances on both ends of the floor, are reasons for optimism in Texas.

As it turns out, Trevor Ariza is a very capable replacement for Chandler Parsons, especially on the defensive end. Ariza's shooting and defense make him a great low-usage fit alongside Dwight Howard and James Harden. Ariza recorded 19 points, five rebounds and five assists on Tuesday, bringing his season averages to 17.6, 5.4 and 3.2, respectively.

The spacing he provides has also helped keep the paint open for Howard (10-of-16 for 26 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday) and Harden (6-of-13 for 25 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists).

The Heat hung tough for three quarters, but simply couldn't find buckets late. They finished the game shooting just 41.9 percent, a mark that dropped to 20 percent in the fourth quarter. Again, credit is due to Ariza, who helped keep a previously hot Dwyane Wade in check for zero points in the final frame.

(Courtesy: ESPN)

The Rockets will face stiffer tests from here, including San Antonio on Thursday and undefeated Golden State on Saturday. If anyone is still doubting Houston's legitimacy, those are must-watch games.