Reed Sheppard's Confidence Is Changing The Rockets

The Houston Rockets have picked up a few signature wins against Eastern Conference opponents in the last few weeks, winning close games against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Orlando Magic, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Each of those teams will likely finish near the top of the conference, or at least in playoff positioning. The Rockets used a balanced effort to beat each of those likely playoff teams with strong production from the starters and the reserves.

No Rockets reserve had a bigger impact during this stretch than Reed Sheppard. He seems to be growing in confidence and consistency as the Rockets have leaned on his bench scoring to supplement the offense.

After a few shaky games to start the season, Sheppard settled into his role, taking open three-pointers created by the gravity of Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant. Sheppard converted threes at a high rate, knocking down deep shots to stretch the floor and make it difficult for defenses to send extra focus to Houston's top offensive players.

As Sheppard's shot continued to fall, he then improved defensively, showing the quick and active hands that were on his draft report that made him the best guard in college before becoming a member of the Rockets.

The combination of his elite shooting and his quick hands defensively made him an impact reserve quickly. He had the ability to support the team's efforts by creating space for Sengun, Durant, and Amen Thompson to function in the paint and the post areas. The perfect mix of pesky guard defense and shooting made Sheppard a key 3-and-D guard for the Rockets.

However, Sheppard's game has changed as time has progressed for the Rockets.

Now, Sheppard is more comfortable with the ball in his hands, snaking through screens and knocking down mid-range shots and floaters. He can finish at the rim at a high level, and his three-point shooting is still elite when he takes shots off-the-dribble.

While he still only gets limited opportunities for on-ball reps, he has become increasingly efficient with his scoring while he has the ball in his hands. He still has room to grow in terms of creating shots for his teammates, but he has done enough to prove he can be an effective on-ball scorer, along with his ability to score off the ball.

Sheppard has already become a key part of Houston's success, and his importance will grow as he continues to improve his play and his confidence.