<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-bill-simmons-rips-reed-sheppard-awful-performance-key-role');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bill Simmons rips Rockets guard Reed Sheppard’s ‘awful’ performance in key role');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bill-Simmons-rips-Reed-Sheppards-%E2%80%98awful-performance-in-key-role-for-Rockets.jpg"><figcaption>© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bill Simmons rips Rockets guard Reed Sheppard’s ‘awful’ performance in key role</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T11:00:42-07:00">October 22nd, 11:00am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T11:00:42-07:00">October 22nd, 11:00am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Thrust into the largest role of his young NBA career, Reed Sheppard showed that he was not ready for it in the Houston <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-fans-wild-ending-kevin-durant-rockets-debut-thunder">Rockets’ season-opening loss</a> to the Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><p>On Tuesday, Sheppard, who has become the sixth man and first true guard off the bench for Houston following Fred VanVleet’s ACL injury last month, looked utterly outmatched against the defending NBA champions.</p><p>In nearly 27:47 of action, Sehppard had 9 points, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, and went 3-for-11 from the field and 2-for-7 on 3-pointers. And on the defensive end, the 6-foot-2 guard couldn’t keep up with the Thunder, who specifically sought him out in their actions.</p><p>The performance was roundly criticized by fans and media members alike, and Bill Simmons, once a Sheppard believer, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzbJCb-wgzk&amp;t=556s" rel="noopener">was particularly blunt</a> in his analysis.</p><p>“He was awful,” Simmons said on his podcast. “We were thinking that maybe he could be the next Mark Price. He looked like Brent Price today…</p><p>“They need him to be, needless to say, way better than he was tonight because they actually need him. They need some sort of point guard, and if it’s not him, they’re going to have to go trade for somebody and make some moves. But he was relentlessly targeted on defense. He just got, I thought, demolished by [Cason] Wallace in a couple of points in this game. He would get heat-checky sometimes, and it was inappropriate. It was both he was playing terrible but also had a lot of confidence, which I didn’t mind, but it just was really rough.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>Before Tuesday’s double-overtime loss, the 21-year-old Sheppard, who was drafted third overall last year, had played more than 27 minutes only four times, all of which, not coincidentally, were on the road and either a part of a back-to-back or late in the season right before the playoffs.</p><p>Now with VanVleet, who tore his ACL during a workout one month ago today, expected to miss the entire season, Sheppard is one of the only on-ball guards on the Rockets. To illustrate the point, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-jumbo-lineup-nearly-humbles-thunder-82-game-problem">Houston’s smallest starter</a> Tuesday was 6-foot-7 Amen Thompson. The only Rocket other than Sheppard shorter than that to see the floor in OKC was 6-foot-4 Josh Okogie.</p><p>For each of their next two games, the Rockets will be at home. On Friday, they host the Detroit Pistons before playing the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bill Simmons rips Rockets guard Reed Sheppard’s ‘awful’ performance in key role

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/reed-sheppard-prove-worth-rockets-after-fred-vanvleet-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Reed Sheppard to prove worth to Rockets after Fred VanVleet injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sheppard-drives.jpg"><figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Reed Sheppard to prove worth to Rockets after Fred VanVleet injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-22T14:45:07-07:00">September 22nd, 2:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-22T14:45:07-07:00">September 22nd, 2:45pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Monday, the Houston Rockets got a devastating injury update when it was revealed that starting point guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-fred-vanvleet-torn-acl-2025-26-season">Fred VanVleet had suffered</a> a torn ACL that could keep him out of the entire upcoming 2025-26 season. The news, first reported by NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, immediately hangs a cloud over what had been the most <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-houston-trade-targets-2025-26-nba-season">highly anticipated Rockets season</a> in at least half a decade after the offseason addition of Kevin Durant.</p><p>With VanVleet now <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1970215754697212375" rel="noopener">on the sidelines</a>, a lot of the attention will inevitably turn to rising second-year guard Reed Sheppard, the former number three overall pick out of Kentucky. Sheppard didn’t get a lot of playing time in his rookie season under head coach Ime Udoka, who prioritized defense above all else in his lineup configurations, an area in which Sheppard is not exactly a specialist.</p><p>However, with the Rockets now effectively without a point guard, Udoka will likely have no choice but to play Sheppard extended rotational minutes this season, even if he still may have some reservations about his ability to defend.</p><h2><b>How much can Reed Sheppard contribute?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Reed-Sheppard.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Two things that Reed Sheppard should be able to contribute immediately for the Rockets are perimeter shotmaking and the ability to run the offense smoothly. Sheppard flashed both of these capabilities in his time both in the Summer League as well as in limited playing time with the Rockets this year.</p><p>While there will be growing pains along the way, Sheppard has a team with some strong veteran talent, headlined by Durant, to help show him the ropes, and he also has plenty of defensive prowess around him to help cover for him on that end of the floor.</p><p>With VanVleet out for the year, the Rockets may have to lean more heavily on Durant to initiate offense than they had hoped, as opposed to simply relying on him as a halfcourt scoring weapon, the role in which he has thrived the most throughout his career.</p><p>However, if Sheppard comes out and shows an ability to orchestrate an effective offense while holding his own on defense, the Rockets’ plans for 2025-26 may not have to be too heavily altered.</p><p>Still, the VanVleet news is certainly a major bummer for a team that has done all the right things in their rebuild and finally pushed their chips to the center of the table this summer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Reed Sheppard to prove worth to Rockets after Fred VanVleet injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/sneakers/rockets-reed-sheppard-releases-own-nike-gt-cut-3-colorway');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Reed Sheppard releases own Nike GT Cut 3 colorway');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rockets-Reed-Sheppard-releasing-own-Nike-GT-Cut-3-colorway.jpg"></figure><h1>Rockets’ Reed Sheppard releases own Nike GT Cut 3 colorway</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-11T11:02:30-07:00">July 11th, 11:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-11T11:02:50-07:00">July 11th, 11:02am</time><address><a>Dominik Zawartko</a>Dominik Zawartko is a Michigan State graduate with a degree in Political Science and English. Having previously worked in the nonprofit and legal sectors, he decided to pursue his true love of writing with ClutchPoints. Dominik's hobbies include painting, cooking food, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and always having a laugh. His main focus areas are UFC coverage and all things sneakers.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Houston Rockets have made massive moves this offseason, notably with their blockbuster signing of Kevin Durant with the simultaneous departure of young star Jalen Green. Still, the Rockets boast a young core of talented players, one of which has emerged as Kentucky standout Guard Reed Sheppard. Clearly, Nike has taken notice and gave Sheppard is own PE colorway of the Nike GT Cut 3 Turbo, available for purchase now.</p><p><i><b>Check our <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers">Sneakers news</a> for more upcoming releases and breaking content!</b></i></p><p>Reed Sheppard played 52 games during his Rookie campaign last season, averaging 4.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, and 1.4 APG. While it wasn’t the breakout season he had hoped for, Sheppard grew as one of the league’s more consistent spot-up three shooters at 33.8%. There’s always room for improvement, but it’s clear that the ceiling for potential is high for Sheppard.</p><p>A wave of young players throughout the league, including <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-draft-news-cade-cunningham-inks-major-nike-deal-ahead-of-potentially-going-no-1">Pistons’ Cade Cunningham</a> and Timberwolves’ Rob Dillingham, have favored the Nike GT Cut 3 series as their preferred footwear options throughout the season. Just like the aforementioned names, Sheppard will take his turn debuting his own PE (player exclusive) colorway of the popular model.</p><h2>Nike GT Cut 3 Turbo (Reed Sheppard PE)</h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reed Sheppard Gets His Own Nike GT Cut 3 Turbo PE This July ❤️‍🔥 <a href="https://t.co/2eb1kHaT46">pic.twitter.com/2eb1kHaT46</a></p><p>— House of Heat° (@houseofheat) <a href="https://twitter.com/houseofheat/status/1936212653275296254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reed Sheppard x Nike GT Cut 3 Turbo 🌸<a href="https://t.co/3f2WCsNA3i">https://t.co/3f2WCsNA3i</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xprcr1Dhhs">pic.twitter.com/Xprcr1Dhhs</a></p><p>— JustFreshKicks (@JustFreshKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustFreshKicks/status/1942585714379784471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><br>The official colorway comes in as <em>Platinum Violet/Black-White-Bright Crimson </em>for an ensemble that meshes perfectly with the Rockets’ uniform scheme. The GT Cut 3 Turbo is the latest in Nike’s Basketball innovation, featuring a new ribbed synthetic shell, updated tongue padding, and use of the ZoomX midsole cushioning. The shoes are comfortable, while still remaining firm and maximizing energy return for the player.</p></figure><p>Reed Sheppard’s PE edition will consist of a Platinum Violet base with hits of Bright Crimson on the Nike Swoosh, ZoomX plate, and tongue logos. The shoes will also feature finer details such as a speckled midsole and “REED” stitched onto the inside tongue, making these a truly clean PE and the first of hopefully many for the Rockets’ young prospect.</p><p>The Nike GT Cut 3 Turbo “Reed Sheppard” released on July 7, 2025 for a retail tag of $210, making this one of Nike’s more expensive performance basketball models. The colorway is now available via <a href="https://www.nike.com/t/gt-cut-3-turbo-basketball-shoes-Oy26Wabw/HV9918-001">Nike in full sizing</a>, so don’t miss out on your chance to grab a pair!</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Reed Sheppard releases own Nike GT Cut 3 colorway

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-playing-kevin-durant-crazy-reed-sheppard');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why playing with Kevin Durant will be ‘crazy’ for Rockets’ Reed Sheppard');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Sheppard-vs-the-Lakers.jpg"><figcaption>Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why playing with Kevin Durant will be ‘crazy’ for Rockets’ Reed Sheppard</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-10T13:55:41-07:00">July 10th, 1:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-10T13:55:41-07:00">July 10th, 1:55pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Earlier this offseason, the Houston Rockets pushed their chips to the center of the table by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kevin-durant-calls-out-fans-revelation-increase-injuries">trading for Kevin Durant</a> of the Phoenix Suns, giving up a package centered around Jalen Green in the process. The move signaled that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/kevin-durant-bold-predictions-after-going-to-rockets-in-historic-7-team-trade">Rockets are all-in</a> on competing for an NBA championship in the near future after finishing second in the Western Conference this past season.</p><p>With their guard depth now compromised due to the departure of Green, the Rockets may be leaning more heavily on second year player Reed Sheppard, who they drafted number three overall out of Kentucky in 2024.</p><p>Recently, Sheppard stopped by ESPN’s NBA Today set at the Summer League in Las Vegas and spoke on what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRfOEvjZ-M4&amp;t=359s" rel="noopener">his reaction was</a> when he heard that his team was acquiring Durant.</p><p>“Obviously when I saw it, it was really cool for me. I grew up watching him my whole life, so it’s kind of crazy now that I’m going to be playing with him. But he’s a great scorer, he really can do anything, he’s a great winner, so it’s going to be really fun. I’m really excited to play with him,” said Sheppard, per NBA on ESPN on YouTube.</p><h2><b>Can Reed Sheppard contribute?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Reed-Sheppard.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In his rookie season, Reed Sheppard didn’t see much consistent playing time under head coach Ime Udoka, who opted to trot out a more defensive-focused lineup that helped the Rockets net themselves the number two seed.</p><p>However, Sheppard might be the second best pure jump shooter on the roster behind Durant, and he also flashed some playmaking ability during his time at Kentucky, which could open the door for him to see some backup point guard minutes this year behind Fred VanVleet.</p><p>This will be especially needed since the Rockets lost a good bit of scoring punch and perimeter play by giving up both Green and Dillon Brooks in the Durant trade as well as Cam Whitmore later on in the offseason.</p><p>If Sheppard is able to step up in rotational minutes this year, the Rockets could truly be a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why playing with Kevin Durant will be ‘crazy’ for Rockets’ Reed Sheppard

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-reed-sheppard-issued-challenge-from-gm-entering-year-2');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Reed Sheppard issued challenge from GM entering Year 2');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Reed-Sheppard-issued-challenge-from-GM-entering-Year-2.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Jonathan Hui</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Reed Sheppard issued challenge from GM entering Year 2</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-07T13:23:49-07:00">July 7th, 1:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-07T13:23:49-07:00">July 7th, 1:23pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris Spiering graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris manages the betting team at ClutchPoints and contributes about the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but he follows most sports, including NCAA Basketball. Chris also covers San Diego State men's basketball for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Houston Rockets are going to be one of the teams to watch for next season. The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/kevin-durant-trade-grades-7-teams-blockbuster"> trade for Kevin Durant</a> could potentially put them over the top as the best team in the Western Conference next season.</p><p>Rockets’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlrEXKmD7Ic" rel="noopener">general manager Rafael Stone</a> recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-ime-udoka-rafael-stone-break-silence-kevin-durant-trade" rel="noopener">spoke to the media about Durant</a>.</p><p>“Kevin impacts the game on both ends of the court and is one of the most efficient scorers in the history of basketball,” said Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone. “We liked the growth our team showed last season and believe Kevin’s skill set will integrate seamlessly.”</p><p>The Rockets are very deep, despite containing one of the best of all time. Alperen Sengun is a rising star in the NBA and is already considered one of the best big men in the league. Amen Thompson is also a rising star and has proved his value on the defensive end time and time again for Houston last year. Not to mention, former <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-rumors-fred-vanvleet-sign-50-million-contract-extension">NBA champ Fred VanVleet</a> is running the show at point guard.</p><p>Another guard on the roster, Reed Sheppard, is expected to continue to grow as well. Stone shared a quick challenge during that interview with the media on Sheppard.</p><p>“Reed (Sheppard) is just going to have to be real good for us, period.”</p><p>Sheppard is entering Year 2. The Kentucky product averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in his rookie season. He appeared in 52 games and started three, but has a very small sample size, averaging only 12.6 minutes per contest.</p><p>Stone believes Sheppard will step up and be a major contributor for the Rockets. Sheppard had his moment late in the season against the Los Angeles Clippers when he scored 20 points on 6-10 shooting from three-point range. He followed it up with 14 points against the Los Angeles Lakers the following game and was 4-8 from deep. It was only two games, but scoring 34 points against two playoff teams is a good sign moving forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Reed Sheppard issued challenge from GM entering Year 2

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-reed-sheppard-london-kentucky-residents-impacted-tornado');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Reed Sheppard helps London, Kentucky residents impacted by tornado');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Reed-Sheppard.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Reed Sheppard helps London, Kentucky residents impacted by tornado</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-18T07:13:03-07:00">May 18th, 7:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-18T07:13:03-07:00">May 18th, 7:13am</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Ahead of his second year in the NBA, Reed Sheppard has not forgotten about his Kentucky origins. Less than two weeks after the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/rockets-news-ime-udoka-drops-blunt-take-game-7-loss-warriors">Houston Rockets were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors</a>, Sheppard returned to his hometown of London, Kentucky, after it was struck by a severe tornado.</p><p>Once the tornadoes hit, Sheppard <a href="https://x.com/TristanUda/status/1923854380194762818" rel="noopener">immediately reached out</a> to his former neighbors to help, according to Facebook user Joshua Maxey, via SB Nation editor Tristan Pharis. Maxey said he told Sheppard his presence would lift the residents’ spirits, but that was not enough for the 20-year-old sharpshooter.</p><p>Upon returning to London, Kentucky, Sheppard stepped right into the mix without skipping a beat. Maxey shared photos of the shooting guard picking up fallen pieces of destroyed homes, saying they worked together all day. While his presence certainly aided those struggling, he simply saw himself as the same young boy who grew up in the neighborhood and not a budding NBA star.</p><p>The tornado passed through parts of Kentucky and Missouri on Friday night, killing at least 27 people. London was hit the hardest. Eighteen of the confirmed fatalities died in Kentucky, though it was not confirmed how many specifically died in London.</p><h2><b>Rockets G Reed Sheppard set for breakout year two</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Reed-Sheppard.jpg"><figcaption>Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>As a city with a population of just 8,000, Sheppard is easily one of London’s biggest stars. He became a local legend when he decided to stay home and play collegiately at Kentucky before being taken by the Rockets at <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/rockets-2024-nba-draft-grade-reed-sheppard">No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft</a>.</p><p>As a rookie, Sheppard averaged just 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 52 outings. However, his potential showed itself in his limited opportunities. In three appearances with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G-League affiliate, he posted 30.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game in 35.5 minutes.</p><p>After a strong showing in the 2024 NBA Summer League and the subsequent preseason, many expected Sheppard to hit the ground running. He struggled to find time in the Rockets’ deep backcourt rotation but is primed for a breakout sophomore season. Following its loss to the Warriors, Houston is signaling changes ahead in the offseason, potentially clearing a path for younger players like Sheppard and Cam Whitmore.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Reed Sheppard helps London, Kentucky residents impacted by tornado

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-reed-sheppard-gets-agonizing-injury-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Reed Sheppard gets agonizing injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Reed-Sheppard-gets-agonizing-injury-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Rockets’ Reed Sheppard gets agonizing injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-08T21:04:07-08:00">March 8th, 9:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-08T21:04:07-08:00">March 8th, 9:04pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Houston Rockets had a brutal injury update on guard Reed Sheppard.</p><p>Sheppard would <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/rockets-reed-sheppard-injury" rel="noopener">be in a splint for about four weeks</a>, as head coach Ime Udoka told media on the guard’s health, per the Associated Press’ Kristie Rieken. He said that the injury is to the top of his thumb and not the lower portion, which is a “better outcome.”</p><p>Sheppard suffered the injury during <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/rockets-pelicans-prediction-odds-pick-spread-3-6-2025">Houston’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans</a> on March 6, when he slapped down on the ball on a foul on Zion Williamson.</p><p>This season, he is averaging 3.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game after 45 appearances. He is shooting 33.2% from the field, including 27.9% from beyond the arc.</p><h2><b>What’s next for Rockets after Reed Sheppard injury</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Reed-Sheppard.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It is a tough update for the Houston Rockets to be without a key guard in their rotation. Despite the struggles Reed Sheppard has had this season, he still would have a significant role in the offense as the team’s third pick of the 2024 NBA Draft.</p><p>However, the Rockets performed strong in their 146-117 blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans. They took a 39-28 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. They outscored New Orleans in all four quarters, having their offense prove too much for their opponents to handle.</p><p>Seven players scored in double-digits for the Rockets with three reaching 20 points. Dillon Brooks led the way with 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, including 7-of-11 from downtown. Alperen Sengun came next with 20 points, six assists and five rebounds while Aaron Holiday provided 20 points and four rebounds.</p><p>Houston improved to 39-25 on the season, holding the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings. They are 0.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies and two games behind the Los Angeles Lakers.</p><p>Following Saturday’s win over the Pelicans, the Rockets will prepare for their next matchup. They host the Orlando Magic on March 10 at 8 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Reed Sheppard gets agonizing injury update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/rockets-news-exclusive-reed-sheppard-sponge-attitude-houston-shaping-rookie-future');   ga('set', 'title', 'Exclusive: How Reed Sheppard’s ‘sponge’ attitude with Rockets is shaping rookie’s future');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Rockets-Reed-Sheppard-on-being-a-sponge-during-rookie-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Exclusive: How Reed Sheppard’s ‘sponge’ attitude with Rockets is shaping rookie’s future</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-15T11:51:42-08:00">January 15th, 11:51am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-15T11:51:42-08:00">January 15th, 11:51am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Exclusive</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Perhaps the only experience more humbling than hitting the NBA’s rookie wall for a first-round draft pick is heading to the airport for a G-League stint. Reed Sheppard has taken the bumps, bruises, and some occasional turbulence in stride this season while channeling a bit of Spongebob into daily life. ClutchPoints caught up with Sheppard the newest G-League player of the week after the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/fatal-flaw-rockets-must-fix-at-2025-nba-trade-deadline">fueled-up but flawed Houston Rockets</a> dispatched <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-how-memphis-ground-rockets-star-studded-revenge-game-ja-morant-alperen-sengun">Ja Morant’s misfiring Memphis Grizzlies.</a></p><p>Sheppard, the most recent G-League <a href="https://x.com/nbagleague/status/1879261067697852567" rel="noopener">Player of the Week</a>, has posted 30.7 points, 8.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 steals in three games with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The rookie’s 40.5% mark from beyond the three-point arc is encouraging for Houston. However, Sheppard’s stats (3.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 32.2% 3PA) in 30 games this season with the Rockets against tougher competition cannot be ignored.</p><p>Neither can good advice from NBA veterans. Sheppard still needs time to grow into his expected role with the Rockets next season. The rookie’s practical approach to getting better every day depends on being engaged. That is why Sheppard is never seen too far away from any Rockets’ huddle.</p><p>“I’ve learned a lot. Obviously the game is a lot different so every day is about learning, coming in a being a sponge to soak everything in that you can,” Sheppard said. “Guys like Aaron Holiday, seeing how they go about their day. It’s all about learning as much as I can and becoming a better basketball player.”</p><p>The life of an NBA rookie is not just about the games and practices; it’s an all-encompassing life-changing lifestyle experience. Sheppard is soaking up those benefits as well. Chartered flights and chatting up future Hall of Famers are just a couple of the fringe benefits afforded to the best ballers.</p><p>So what does Sheppard enjoy the most with the Rockets?</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Reed-Sheppard-Rockets-celebrate.jpg"><figcaption>Thomas Shea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“Everything that comes with (being an NBA player),” laughed Sheppard. “The travel. The talent that is around. Every time you walk into the gym, getting to see the best players in the world practice and play. I’m just taking it all in and enjoying every bit of it.”</p><p>Despite spending time in the G-League, which for some could be a demotivating experience, Sheppard has embraced every moment with enthusiasm and a learner’s mindset.</p><p>“I think just showing up every day with a good attitude,” Sheppard replied. “I’m just enjoying it all and being thankful. It’s a deep state of gratitude about everything, just focusing and learning as much as I can to become a better player.”</p><p>The Rockets (26-12) like the sound of that as Houston has made a significant jump up the Western Conference standings this season. Creating a winning foundation for rookies like Reed Sheppard is crucial to future success. Thankfully, it sounds like everyone is on the same page when it comes to NBA minutes, G-League assignments, and when opportunities will be available.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
11.0	2.7	4.3	0.3	1.7

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
11.0	2.7	4.3	0.3	1.7

Reed Sheppard news

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