HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets are experiencing a buzz among their fanbase regarding the potential permanent placement of second-year guard Reed Sheppard in the starting lineup. While discussions swirl about his role, Sheppard remains focused on his individual contributions to the team.
In remarks made during Wednesday’s practice, the 21-year-old former Kentucky standout emphasized, “It doesn’t matter at all. I’m going in and trying to impact the game the best way I can.” Sheppard’s recent performances seem to prove that focus is paying off. Over his last 10 games, he has been averaging an impressive 16.8 points, 4.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 48.0% overall and an eye-catching 45.8% from beyond the arc.
Surprisingly, despite not holding a starting position, Sheppard has seen his playing time increase significantly, averaging nearly 30 minutes on the court during this stretch. This is a notable jump from his season-long average of 25.3 minutes. He has also played a key role in several crucial fourth-quarter situations, contributing to his team’s success.
Rockets’ head coach Ime Udoka commented on the team’s approach to balancing scoring and ball-handling throughout the game, which appears to justify Sheppard’s role coming off the bench. With established stars like Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun in the starting lineup, alongside another proficient ball-handler, Amen Thompson, the Rockets are strategically utilizing Sheppard to enhance their bench strength, alongside defensive specialists such as Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith.
Udoka, drawing from his experiences with the San Antonio Spurs, mentioned that they often used star players like Manu Ginobili in similar sixth-man roles for optimal team performance. The current strategy seems effective, as the Rockets hold a solid position at No. 3 in the Western Conference and boast a 7-3 record over their last ten games.
“Sheppard has taken a great step and is very important to what we’re doing,” Udoka remarked, indicating that he expects Sheppard’s minutes to continue increasing. As Sheppard continues to grow and develop, there’s optimism looming over the Rockets’ trajectory.
The team will look to build on this positive momentum when they face the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night at Toyota Center, with the game set to start at 6:30 p.m. Central time, and broadcasted nationally on Prime Video.