The Houston Rockets had a tall task ahead of them going short-handed to The Bay to face off against the grappling Golden State Warriors, yet they managed to come away with a massive road victory, 104-100.
Down both their leading scorer in Kevin Durant and their most important rebounder in Steven Adams, the Rockets needed one of their peripheral scorers to step up in a big way, and Reed Sheppard, in doing so, proved yet again how well-equipped this team is to deal with the ups and down in health and availability that the regular season will bring.
Sheppard had a career-high 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists while shooting 48% from the field, and he was, undoubtedly, the star of the show. Yet a number of players, including those who would normally be on the edge of the rotation, stepped up to help propel Houston to the win, and each of these developments takes on significance in the context of the Rockets’ championship hopes.
The Rockets now have another dynamic scorer on their hands to complement their budding offensive identity
Without Durant, Houston’s offense, at times, looked much like it did last season, with Alperen Sengun being limited by double teams and physical opposing defenses. Yet, rather than completely stagnating how they, at one point, would have, a significant portion of their roster has instead stepped up as Sengun has struggled.
On Monday night against the Phoenix Suns, Amen Thompson had 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor, flashing not only his constant physicality in getting to the rim but also an enhanced jumper that is starting to take form this season.
Against the Warriors, it was Sheppard’s turn to steal the show, and he put on display his ever-expanding offensive skill-set, scoring not just from deep but also getting to the rim and pulling up in the mid-range when called upon. This represented a major return to form from his lackluster seven-point performance against Phoenix.
Moreover, Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, Clint Capela and JD Davison all took on major minutes for the team, posting a combined +36 in the sum total of their minutes.
It should be no surprise that the Rockets have an extensive number of players on their roster who are willing to play hard, and play winning basketball, when called upon. Yet, it is the play of someone like Sheppard, when he is at his best, who completes the picture.
When the team’s star scorers are absent or limited by opposing defenses, Houston desperately needs someone they can turn to take the ball into their hands and get buckets. Sheppard, as both a floor spacer and a surprisingly strong downhill scorer, now has proven he has the capabilities to do this when the Rockets most need it.
When everyone is healthy, it is still likely that Sheppard will return to the bench, at least for the time being. Yet, there are few things more important than having a guy who can make his minutes absolutely electric, and Sheppard will represent that no matter what role he takes on, making the Rockets one of the deepest teams in the NBA by virtue of their ability to spread their talent throughout the whole rotation.
