Rockets' Amen Thompson Jokes to Reed Sheppard About Hesitancy

Much was made about Reed Sheppard taking on a bigger role for the Houston Rockets this past offseason. Understandably so, as Houston was relatively thin at guard at the time, with Fred VanVleet being the only other point guard. 

The Rockets went on a well-documented spending spree and had easily their most active summer under Rafael Stone and company but they didn't quite address the point guard position. 

That became even more noticeable once VanVleet went down, as they were forced to scramble a bit to piece meal his role and divy it up, dividing his responsibilities across several players. 

Sheppard's increased role seemed inevitable. 

Although at the onset, he didn't play well, in both losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons. He played a bit indecisive and seemed a bit in over his head.

And it didn't help that his shots were falling, as he fared 6-of-22 from the floor. He had a bounce back game against the Brooklyn Nets, dropping 15 points and eight assists on 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-7 from long-range. 

But he was rather inconsistent over the course of the Rockets' next three games. However, it was clear that the outside shot was starting to arrive, as he showed a semblance of what made him so special in college.

Since then, Sheppard has put it all together.

He's absolutely been balling of late, averaging 16.3 points in the Rockets' last four games, while also shooting 25-of-38 from the field (65.7 percent) and 15-of-25 from long distance (60 percent).

He's been absolutely lighting it up. And Rockets wing Amen Thompson wants him to keep flinging it, with zero hesitancy. Even if Thompson has to make him.

Thompson jokingly told Sheppard that he'll punch him in the face if he dribbles when open instead of pulling the trigger instantly, as told by Sheppard.

"Amen told me in the weight room just a minute ago, he said, 'But if you take one more dribble when you're open and there's no shooting, I'm gonna punch you in the face."

Thompson confirmed Sheppard's version of events.

On the season, Sheppard is averaging 12.2 points, 3.2 assists, nearly two stocks, 49.5 percent from the field, 50 percent from long range (on 5.6 attempts), 64.8 effective field goal percentage, and 64.8 percent true shooting.

And his defense has been really good of late, to say the least. He's also had some sweet passes too.

Sheppard is proof of why you shouldn't write players off so early in their careers. Especially one season in.