Udoka’s name reveals the key to Reed Shepard’s monster game against the Kings
The Houston Rockets took home a convincing 128-97 win over the lifeless Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, even though Amen Thompson took the night off with a quad injury, thanks in large part to a dominant performance by Alperen Sengun then the Turkish star recorded his third triple-double of the season. But Thompson’s absence also paved the way for Reed Sheppard to enter the starting line-up.
Shepard hasn’t quite established himself as an indispensable player in the eyes of head coach Ime Udoka. He has significant defensive flaws that limit his upside in the Rockets’ defense-first system, but he has these blistering shooting nights that make him such an invaluable X-factor for the team.
On Wednesday, Shepard made the most of his rare start, scoring 28 points after drilling seven 3-pointers on 16 attempts from beyond the arc on the night. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka commented on Sheppard’s performance after the game and found out what the talented sophomore was up to.
“The aggressiveness, chasing his shots. The fact that he made 12 (shots) in the first half tells you everything you need to know,” Udoka said, via the Space City Home Network on X. “Great job overall. Made some real plays as well.”
Making Udoka after #Rockets A 128-97 win over the Kings #AllFire @HoustonRockets back in action tomorrow in Orlando at 6pm on SCHN & SCHN+ pic.tvitter.com/KSFMbBLibMk
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCitiHN) February 26, 2026
Reed Shepard is big for the Rockets amid Fred VanVleet’s absence
VanVleet’s presence would allow Shepard to be tempered more slowly by the Rockets. However, VanVleet’s season-ending torn ACL before the start of the season pushed Shepard into action, and he endured some of the ups and downs common among young guards still learning what it means to be a playmaker in the league.
Shepard, for what it’s worth, produced in the games he started. In seven starts, he averaged 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists along with 2.1 steals per game.
2026-02-26 06:34:00
