Reed Shepard is emerging as a reliable asset for the Kevin Durant-led Rockets

The previous two games served as a the main measuring stick for the Houston Rockets. And while they didn’t pass every test, there were plenty of positives to take away. The turnovers were ugly, the rebounds were mixed, but Kevin Durant leading the charge in Milwaukee was wonderful.

It was equally impressive the appearance of Reed Shepardwho played some of his basketball during the biggest two games of Houston’s young season.

The Rockets finished road trips to San Antonio and Milwaukee, where Shepard shot a combined 60% from the floor (12-for-20) and an even better 62% from the floor (8-for-13). He also recorded a career-high four steals in the win over the Bucks.

These results were the biggest step forward for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Sheppard played just 654 minutes as a rookie last year, which was nearly half as many as any other lottery pick, and has yet to start this season. He’s still only played in 61 career games, logging just 13 minutes per game, indicating how early he still is in his development.

But the last two outings have shown real progress, as Sheppard has started to get his legs under his belt. He seems to be playing with more comfort and confidence, even providing a spark off the bench for the Rockets.

Houston trailed 19-16 in the first quarter of Friday’s game in San Antonio when Shepard entered for the first time. He scored on Houston’s next possession to spark a 9-2 run to close the quarter.

Shepard was also on the floor when Houston erased an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes Sunday to come back and stun Milwaukee, securing two steals and a clutch defensive block. Shepard finished as Houston’s third leading scorer in each game despite coming off the bench, which is exactly what Houston is hoping to get from the young guard. He was also a plus-11 in two contests, including a plus-9 during a fourth-quarter comeback alone. His performance was so impressive that it even drew praise from Durant, who posted about Shepard on his Instagram account.

The sophomore guard currently has 3% steals while also shooting 48% from 3-point range. A combination so rare that only one player has ever lasted a full season: Stephen Curry in 2016, when he posted 3% steal rate with a 45% clip from deep.

While Shepard has made impactful plays on both ends of the floor, the most encouraging sign is his improved decision-making. Over the past two games, he has eight assists to just three turnovers, a major problem for Shepard early in his career. However, this recent stretch may indicate that the game is finally starting to slow down for him.

Patience is hard to come by in sports, but at just 21 years old, Shepard still has plenty of room – and time – to grow. This past weekend provided a glimpse of his true potential against two quality teams, and it’s a very promising development for the Rockets.