The Houston Rockets defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, 117-95. The Hawks are obviously in a transition phase. They moved on from long-time build-around star Trae Young at the deadline. Despite that (or depending on what you think of Young, maybe because of it), the Hawks were enjoying an 11-game win streak. What was most encouraging about the win to Rockets fans, however, was not the result, but the method. The Rockets finally got around to starting Reed Sheppard again.
The Rockets’ Reed Sheppard Starter Era May Be Starting Now
Against the Hawks, six-foot-two Rockets guard Reed Sheppard started for just the 11th time this season. He had 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks. Crucially, for the spacing-deprived Houston squad, he shot 4-of-7 from three and was a +23. On the season, he is averaging 13.4 points and 38.9% from three on a team-high 6.8 attempts per game.
The change came after a tough stretch for Houston. The Rockets just lost consecutive games to the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a disappointing outcome for a Rockets squad with reasons to be hopeful for the mini-series. The Lakers are now an extra 2.5 games ahead in the standings. The increased distance significantly diminishes Houston’s chances of catching up for the third seed in the West.
But despite Sheppard’s strong recent play, he did not excel in the Lakers losses. The sophomore guard was a combined -21 over the two games. He shot 9-of-23 (39.1%) from the field and 4-of-14 (28.6%) from three. Hardly the kind of results to warrant an immediate promotion.
Udoka’s Comments on Starting Reed Sheppard
Head coach Ime Udoka was asked about the lineup change in the postgame press conference. He was very quick to reject any notion of permanence to the move. However, it does appear that Sheppard’s start won’t be an isolated incident.
When asked if Sheppard would start the remainder of the season, Udoka responded, “I wouldn’t say the rest of them. Give it a great look, though… Give it five, six, seven, eight, whatever, and determine what we want to do going into the playoffs.”
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The Rockets have 13 games left to play in the 2025-26 regular season. It’s the time of year when lineups start to look a little odd all across the league. Realistically, it’s not a time when you can get a “great look” at anything. Some teams are going all out trying to secure last-minute playoff spots or jostling for home-court advantage. But many teams are embracing the experimental stage of the season. It’s the time of year when some misplaced starter begins tricking people into thinking they’re a future All-Star.
That phenomenon, and the timing of Sheppard’s elevation, naturally raise suspicions. The Rockets’ front office may have written off catching the Lakers at this point. A nice jolt to Sheppard’s trade value might feel like the best they can hope for out of the few remaining games.
But, for the time being, the ball will be in Sheppard’s court. For a defensive-minded coach like Udoka, starting Sheppard in the playoffs seems unlikely. But the front office won’t just be hoping to plump up their young prospect’s trade value. They’ll also probably be hoping to force Udoka’s hand.
If Sheppard can play well enough and prove his impact beyond the shadow of a doubt, then Udoka’s press conference dampener may have been in vain. It’s not likely, but the Rockets’ Reed Sheppard starting era may be starting now.
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