Inside The Rockets

Takeaways From the Rockets' Summer League Loss vs. Pistons

Houston's stretch of summer league dominance ends at the hands of Detroit.

Jed Katz

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
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The Houston Rockets dropped their first summer league game last night against the Detroit Pistons, losing 87-73. After winning two straight games by nearly 20 points each, the Rockets didn't have enough in the tank to beat the Pistons despite a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Here are key takeaways from the game.

Houston Had a Fourth-Quarter Collapse

The Rockets scored just nine points in the fourth, with their first made field goal with 3:23 left in the game. Reed Sheppard and AJ Griffin scored all nine of Houston's fourth-quarter points, but the Rockets simply didn't get it going offensively to close out the game.

On the flip side, they allowed 24 fourth-quarter points, most of which were mostly scored or assisted by Daniss Jenkins. The Rockets couldn't figure out how to match his offense, while not being able to stop him on the other side of the floor.

The main reason for Houston's troubles late in the game is Cam Whitmore. The incoming sophomore is Houston's best or second-best scoring option (depending on how you rank Sheppard), but last night he shot 1-15 with five points. He doesn't even need to hit half of his shots, and maybe the Rockets' momentum swings toward them to win this game.

Even in a 'Bad' Game, Reed Sheppard Still Shines

Sheppard didn't have a great game for his standards, shooting 6-for-17 and scoring 15 points, however, that shows you just how good the rookie can be. The No. 3 overall pick dropped back-to-back 20-point games before last night, and the shot just wasn't falling as much.

Sheppard's shot IQ has stayed consistent, however. He still utilized the midrange over the deep ball, shooting just two threes. Four turnovers and six fouls are something to work on, too.

On the defensive side, the Kentucky product had three steals, which means he's averaged three per game thus far, as well as 1.3 blocks per game. At 6-foot-1, Sheppard's defense on the perimeter was actually highly regarded coming into the draft, but he's shown a paint presence as well. He stays low to the ground, swiping at the ball as the opposing players go up for the shot, almost Fred VanVleet-esque.

AJ Griffin Looks More Comfortable

Griffin was the second-highest plus-minus for the Rockets last night (0), scoring 18 points and a steal in 29 minutes. The former Atlanta Hawk struggled to shoot efficiently in his first two summer league games, going under 50% against the Wizards and Lakers.

However, last night he showed comfortability in his shot-taking. Griffin nailed two of three shots from beyond the arc, and was able to create baskets off of the turnovers he caused.

He's still 20 years old and a project, but this is a great sign, as he's finally starting to take advantage of starting minutes, even if it's just in summer league.

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Jed Katz
JED KATZ

Jed is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism. He also contributes at several other basketball outlets, including has his own basketball blog and podcast — The Sixth Man Report.

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