As the Houston Rockets defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 133-115, to close out the preseason with a 4-0 record, the fact that all of the team's starters sat on the bench might have fooled many into thinking this game would be a boring prelude to the start of the regular season.
Yet, the Rockets' second unit put up a relatively dynamic performance against the Hawks' starters, and second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who seemingly had a perpetual green light for the whole night, stole the show.
Through 26 minutes on the court, Sheppard posted 29 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals while shooting 5-of-13 from beyond the arc. While Sheppard has largely had a quiet preseason to this point, both his high points and his warts as a developing player were on full display tonight, and this unique combination could have major implications for how Houston's rotation shakes out this season.
Reed Sheppard showed he can handle volume, but to what extent?
Following the devastating injury to starting point guard Fred VanVleet, it was widely expected that some combination of Sheppard and Thompson would take over starting point guard duties, at least until the Rockets could potentially make move to acquire a more experienced guard to take on the position.
Yet, through the team's first three preseason games, it quickly became clear that Thompson was getting reps as a starter, and, while Sheppard did get significant run, his minutes (and his effectiveness) were somewhat limited.
However, with the starters resting against Atlanta, Sheppard was given the starting point guard role as he led the bench unit to an impressive offensive night, taking on major volume and putting the full range of his offensive skill-set on display.
Sheppard was all over the floor, shooting threes with confidence, getting downhill to the rim and even putting up an impressive dunk in the first half:
.@reed_sheppard really just made a 3, a putback, got a steal & a dunk...
ALL IN ONE MINUTE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/nzfkC5yQwU
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 17, 2025
Moreover, Sheppard was able to be active on defense throughout the night, jumping passing lanes and gambling successfully on steals. With his defensive limitations as a smaller guard, his ability to continue to flash this skill-set throughout the course of the season will be massive for the viability of his minutes.
However, his game was not without its warts. His handle looked somewhat rough at certain times throughout the game, with the Hawks' agile defenders showing the ability to speed him up, especially on his drives into the paint. Moreover, although he looked stronger on defense than he did last season, it is still abundantly clear that the point-of-attack will never be a strength in his game.
It is not surprising that the Rockets granted Sheppard this much volume in a game with such little stakes. However, it has become clear that Sheppard, as it stands, will likely be the backup point guard by default, and it is interesting that he looked so confident taking on the starting mantle against a staunch opposing defense.
If Sheppard can prove he can take on more significant minutes this season, things could get interesting as far as how Houston approaches their backcourt, and an expanded versatility in that area of the rotation could make all the difference for a team attempting to contend for a championship.