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Tag: reed sheppard

  • Four Overreactions to the Rockets Game One Double OT Loss – Houston Press

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    It’s basketball season. It’s game one. The Rockets are hyped this year and were playing the defending champions on their ring night on national TV. So, of course there are going to be overreactions no matter what happened. But, it doesn’t mean at least some of them aren’t justified.

    Thing is, what happened is the Rockets nearly took out the champs in a double overtime thriller. If this is anything like what this season will be, well, get the antacid ready and maybe keep your cardiologist in your phone favorites.

    Fans were mostly mixed in their reactions, but the tendency to freak out definitely happens, so let’s dive into four of the notable early season panic mode narratives and whether or not they have real merit.

    Kevin Durant didn’t touch the ball enough, especially in crunch time.

    Validity: 3 out of 10

    Lou Dort is one of the league’s most tenacious defenders and he spent all night living inside Durant’s shorts. He denied him the ball over and over. Rarely will the Rockets face a defense like they did in Oklahoma City. It could be argued these are the two best defenses in basketball squaring off, so it’s no surprise they both had their struggles on offense. Undoubtedly, Durant will find his footing and begin asserting himself as the season moves along, but on one night, anyone can be shut down. Conversely, Alperen Sengun went OFF for 39, which is what happens when you have multiple studs in your lineup. This is something that will solve itself in time.

    This team still doesn’t shoot well.

    Validity: 6 out of 10

    Speaking of Sengun, not only did he hit a career five threes, but he looked absolutely comfortable taking them. If he can shoot even close to this over the course of the season, his transition to Jokic-lite may be complete. The problem is, take away Sengun’s 5-8 from downtown and you’re left with the rest of the team going 6-31 including 0-11 from Durant and Amen Thompson, who launched 7 threes. Reed Sheppard went 2-7 and Jabari Smith, Jr. 2-6. Tari Eason, 1-4, in a particularly bad outing for him.

    Some of these numbers will improve. Durant is a good distance shooter and Smith should be solid again this season. The jury is out on Sheppard (more on that in a minute) and Eason. Anything we get from Thompson is gravy. But, this is still a team that will rely on offensive rebounding and defense to win games. If anyone thought they would suddenly vault to the top 10 in shooting, they were fooling themselves, especially against a team as good as the Thunder.

    Reed Sheppard is a bust.

    Validity: 4 out of 10

    We can all agree the 2024 draft was…well…not great. Sheppard was drafted third to a team that didn’t really need another rookie, but hoped he could become a solid point guard option and, in particular, sniper. While he improved as his rookie season went on, we are still looking at a very young, very inexperienced player on the floor. It showed in his first game of the 2025-26 season. He had 9 points and 4 assists with 2 turnovers, but defensively, he looked overmatched against the champs.

    To be fair to Sheppard, he probably wouldn’t have gotten heavy minutes in OKC (27 total) if not for the FVV injury. He did what he could to manage what must have been an overwhelming situation in a playoff atmosphere despite what the calendar said. It was trial by fire and he got burned. But, don’t assume that he cannot contribute. This team will be good with or without Sheppard, but they would be better if they can get something from him, particularly in the dog days of the season when they will need his energy and shooting.

    Our point guard spot is a problem.

    Validity: 7 out of 10

    We knew this. Fred VanVleet’s injury is a problem for the Rockets. His presence on the floor and his knack for not turning the ball over will be sorely missed. We saw it on night one when the team turned the ball over 20 times before overtime. But, the problem isn’t just FVV, it’s the depth issues that he created when he was injured just weeks before training camp.

    Most believe that Amen Thompson will make more than a capable replacement and his size makes the Rockets opening night lineup the tallest in NBA history. The bigger concern is what to do when Thompson isn’t on the floor. Sheppard will have to step up, but if he is unable, that leaves Aaron Holiday, a capable backup, but not for extended minutes. And if Thompson misses any time — his end-of-game leg cramps were a problem in game one — this will become an even more glaring weakness.

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Rockets Media Day 2025: Hope Spring Eternal

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    When one door closes, another opens. Such is life in Houston sports with the Astros flaming out ahead of the postseason only to be replaced by the Kevin Durant-led Houston Rockets, who held their annual gathering of the media on Monday at Toyota Center.

    This year was a bit different for this Rockets team coming off their first postseason appearance since the pandemic bubble year of 2020 and introducing their latest acquisitions. It’s always all smiles on Media Day, but there was plenty to talk about.

    Media training for the team when it comes to contract discussions is on point.

    When ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst asked GM Rafael Stone about Durant signing a contract extension, Stone said, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” When a similar question was asked of Tari Eason about his own contract status, he responded, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” OK then.

    Kevin Durant gave interesting and thoughtful answers at Media Day.

    Kevin Durant is fascinating.

    Forgive this reporter’s first impressions of Durant, someone I have never covered, but he seems like one interesting guy. All his answers are measured and thoughtful. He’s clearly “nerdy” as he described his detail oriented approach to perfecting his game. When he gave answers, he sounded almost guru-like. Also, he said he has no doubt he’ll sign an extension, so I guess he talks about his contract.

    Jeff Green wants no part of coaching.

    Jeff Green is never ever ever going to coach.

    The last answer for the 19-year veteran who gave long and considered responses to every reporter was only two words, “Hell, nah!” The question: After all your experience as a player, do you think you’ll want to pursue coaching? Green dropped the words and then the mic before leaving to chuckles from the audience.

    Dorian Finney-Smith is one of a handful of funny guys on this roster.

    This team is full of characters.

    If Monday was any indication, the Rockets won’t need a laugh track, but they might need a 7-second delay for bleeping out curse words. Multiple players jokingly dropped F-bombs in their answers — most notably Steven Adams who is known for his sense of humor and occasional R-rated language. When Adams was asked about Durant, the person, he said, “I mean, he’s not a dick.” Newcomer Dorian Finney-Smith said of Amen Thompson, that he should “Not give a f****” and just shoot. Later, Thompson would say, “Yes, I don’t want to give an eff.” How polite.

    Clint Capela is really happy to be home.

    Clint Capela is happy to be back in Houston, like really happy.

    The former and now current Rockets center gushed about his “home” here in Houston. He didn’t say that he was unhappy in Atlanta, but he was beaming about his return, both to the city and the team where he got his start.

    Jabari Smith, Jr. put on some muscle this summer.

    Jabari Smith, Jr. is noticeably more muscular.

    When Smith walked into the assembly area, it was clear he spent a LOT of time in the weight room over the summer. He shoulders were bulkier and he looked really lean. He said he spent a lot of time getting stronger and trying to improve his ability to handle the game. He seems extremely confident.

    Reed Sheppard is ready for his second season.

    Everyone is excited about Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.

    The love for Thompson should come as no surprise. He could be one of the league’s best young players with an extremely unique set of skills and he said he improved significantly on his distance shooting, which is bad news for the rest of the league. But, hearing players rave about how good Sheppard looks is promising (especially since he will get more minutes now with VanVleet out). Sheppard said he spent the first three weeks of the offseason not even touching a basketball, just playing defense and lifting weights. He’ll need all the strength he can get this year.

    No one seemed as upset about Fred VanVleet’s injury as Alperen Sengun.

    Everyone is bummed about Fred VanVleet.

    Perhaps no one more than Alperen Sengun, who looked devastated when he spoke of the point guard’s torn ACL — he learned about it on the plane back to the states. VanVleet even spent time with Sengun his Turkey and it was pretty clear from the answers and he and Sengun have gotten pretty close.

    Imagine Amen Thompson is the shortest guy in the lineup.

    Could we get a massive all-big lineup?

    Speaking of Sengun, if you saw any of his performances in the EuroBasket tournament, you should be excited. He looked phenomenal. With the return of Adams and the addition of Capela (never mind Durant), this is a team loaded with big men. When you factor in how well the team played in the double big lineup last season and the loss of VanVleet, we might see a jumbo package on occasion. Coach Ime Udoka hinted at the idea of the “biggest lineup in basketball” with Thompson at point alongside Smith, Durant, Sengun and Adams or Capela.

    The league should be on notice about Tari Eason.

    Tari Eason is pretty damn confident.

    Feisty is certainly a word you can use to describe Eason, but he seemed genuinely perturbed at being left off the NBA top 100 players list over the summer. He spent his summer working on ball handling and shooting.  His defense and toughness have never been in question. When asked if he wanted to see an expanded role on offense, he leaned into the mic and said quite directly, “Yes!” He’s also fully healthy to start the season. If his game is as big as the chip on his shoulder, other teams are in trouble.

    The new hot dog with brisket is mighty tasty.

    One of the great benefits of Media Day is being fed — often new food items — by Toyota Center staff. This year was no exception with some nice additions to the menu including a spicy brisket hot dog with pickles. You’ll want to check that out. I will never sleep on the cookies, which are some of the best you’ll ever try. And, this year, they have a make your own tart/pie station? I got fatter just looking at it.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Fred VanVleet Tears ACL: What Are the Rockets Options at Point Guard?

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    The year in 2025 Houston sports continues apace with the Astros close to missing the playoffs amid a record number of injuries, the Texans starting their season 0-3, and now it is being widely reported that Rockets starting point guard Fred VanVleet could miss the entire season with a torn ACL, which happened this summer.

    Fans said over the weekend the combination of Astros and Texans news couldn’t be much worse for Houston. Houston Sports said, “Hold my beer.”

    With training camp opening next week, what exactly can the Rockets do? While VanVleet’s numbers don’t jump off the screen, when he was absent, the Rockets often looked lost on offense. He remains one of the best assist-to-turnover guards in the NBA on a team that really cut down on turnovers last season under his leadership. He is also the de facto coach on the floor, which is the main reason the team re-signed him to a two-year, $50 million deal in the offseason.

    On the cusp of what could be one of the most interesting and exciting years in team history thanks to the trade for Kevin Durant, we get this very early lump of coal in our stockings. Bah humbug.

    The Rockets cannot sign anyone at the moment.

    If you’re thinking, “Hey, they can go grab a veteran to fill VanVleet’s Li Nings,” not so fast. The Rockets are over the tax apron, which means they are unable to sign anyone, even a veteran for the minimum, without first clearing salary, which is unlikely to happen given their roster. The next timeframe they will have to make a move would be in January.

    Next Up: Amen Thompson?

    The natural move here would be to put Thompson at the point, but is that the best option for the team? Thompson is still young and not a classic point guard or advanced passer. His size makes him formidable defensively at the position, but it might not be best for him on offense. At the ends of games, is Thompson the guy you want with the ball in his hands calling plays?

    More importantly, the trickle down impact of Thompson moving to point could be significant. He is going to start, for certain, but he seemed like an ideal candidate for shooting guard or small forward, where he can play off other playmakers and defend anyone. This could negate that.

    Next Next Up: Reed Sheppard?

    The second-year guard has the right toolbox to be the point, but is he ready? He only played sporadically last season, mainly due to the fact that the one thing he seemed to have that was NBA-ready (his shooting) turned out to be a tad unrefined. If his shooting improves, he does have the kind of passing ability teams love at the point, but will Coach Ime Udoka trust him in key moments? If this is truly a championship contender, do you want that in the hands of a second-year guy who barely played as a rookie?

    Next Next Next Up: Aaron Holiday

    Bringing back the veteran Holiday now seems like a genius move now. While you wouldn’t want him playing big minutes, he makes smart plays, shoots well and is a surprisingly tough defender. It would probably be a surprise if he started, but they are going to need him more than they would have if FVV was healthy.

    So, where does that leave the team?

    At this point, it will likely be point by committee until they can find some kind of groove. The hope is that Thompson takes yet another step toward stardom, Sheppard turns a corner in his sophomore season, and Holiday gives the team quality minutes when needed. The Rockets do indeed have depth on this team, which helps. It just so happens that their most tenuous depth was behind VanVleet.

    Houston sports, man.

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    Jeff Balke

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