Reed Sheppard Sees Best Game with Houston Rockets

Rookie Reed Sheppard saw his best game as a Rocket on Sunday night.

Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) defends against Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Drafted at No. 3 in the most recent draft, Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard has yet to live up to the hype. And for a surging Houston squad, that's just fine.

It’s no easy feat to hit the ground running in the NBA. Even some of the league’s top prospects have failed to start strong. And with Houston seeing their best start in four year — a solid 10-4 that lands them near the top of the West — the organization is likely to be patient with Sheppard's development.

On Sunday night, though, fans got a taste of what a realized Sheppard could look like.

In a near-40-point blowout of the Chicago Bulls, Sheppard was able to see the best scoring output of his fresh career, pouring on 12 points on a solid 4-for-7 shooting overall. All four of his makes were triples. 

Even better, Sheppard was able to showcase his sneaky defensive acumen, a large reason he was selected third in the first place. He garnered three blocks, using his athleticism and fast hands to generate some defensive play-making for Houston.

All in all, his performance earned him a +3 plus-minus alongside his fellow bench unit. It was a much-needed performance with Tari Eason, who’s seen a stellar start to the season, having an off night.

There’s little question with his tools, basketball IQ and shooting stroke that Sheppard will see a successful NBA career. For now, he’ll continue to get more comfortable in a rapidly improving Rockets core.

The team next takes on the down Milwaukee Bucks, hoping to snag its eleventh win of the season, and sixth-straight.

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