Will Reed Sheppard be able to Pick up Where he Left Off for Rockets in Game 5?
Reed Sheppard has been one of many Houston Rockets’ main storylines by way of the 2025-26 season. Drafted third general in the 2024 NBA Draft, Sheppard primarily redshirted his rookie season, as he did not get a lot alternative to contribute on a Rockets staff with postseason aspirations.
Which occurs fairly commonly. Coaches usually lean in direction of confirmed gamers with constant traits. Rookies and/or unproven gamers have a better ceiling however usually occasions battle to constantly put it collectively.
Sheppard has had a golden alternative to play important minutes this season, recording 21 begins and averaging 26.2 minutes per night time. He averaged 13.5 factors, 3.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.9 rebounds, 43 % from the sphere, 39.4 % from deep (on seven makes an attempt) and 80.2 % from the foul line all through the common season.
The playoffs have instructed a unique story. Which should not be stunning. The strain is a completely completely different beast.
The stakes are considerably increased. And the crowds get much more intense. And the opposing staff has a full spherical (often lasting a number of weeks) to put together and modify the gameplan, primarily based on the outcomes and/or in-game outcomes.
And that is Sheppard’s first time experiencing the postseason. Sure, he technically was on the Rockets’ roster final season when Houston confronted off in opposition to the Golden State Warriors in the opening spherical of final 12 months’s playoffs, however he did not precisely play.
I performed simply 3.3 minutes per sport. That would not precisely rely. Sheppard began the collection struggling.
He did not seem like the identical participant through the common season. By a protracted shot.
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In Game 1, Sheppard 17 factors, albeit on 20 photographs, going 6-of-20 from the sphere and 5-of-14 from deep. Sheppard let the staff in photographs and outdoors photographs and had essentially the most missed photographs on the staff.
In Game 2, Sheppard went scoreless, going 0-of-4 from the sphere and 0-of-3 from deep. Rockets coach Ime Udoka solely performed him 10 minutes. In Game 3, Sheppard had 17 factors on 21 photographs, going 6-of-21 from the sphere and 4-of-13 from deep. He additionally had 5 turnovers, together with one of many greatest turnovers of all the collection, taking part in a component in the Rockets blowing a six level lead with 30 seconds left.
In Game 4, Sheppard turned it round tenfold, scoring 17 factors on simply 12 photographs and going 4-of-7 from lengthy distance. Sheppard additionally had three steals in the sport, serving to the Rockets stave off heartbreak and elimination.
Sheppard posted true taking pictures splits of 68.3 % and fared 66.7 % efficient taking pictures. Which was nice to see, as a result of the Rockets will want that model all through the remainder of the collection.
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Well, in sport 5, as a result of the Rockets are in sport by sport mode. Each sport from right here on out is Game 7 for Houston. And Sheppard performs managed and with confidence and is able to make his outdoors photographs (and restrict his turnovers), Houston’s probabilities of extending the collection are considerably increased.
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