Houston Rockets fans were impressed by Reed Sheppard’s performance in their 129-101 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Ime Udoka inserted Sheppard into the starting lineup for the third consecutive game, and the guard did not let him down.
He struggled in his rookie season, averaging less than five points per game, but he now looks like a totally different player.
The 21-year-old is averaging 14.3 points per game on 48.8% shooting from the field and 45.5% from three-point range in his second year.
However, Sheppard caught Rockets fans’ attention with his defense rather than his offense against the Jazz on Sunday.
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Reed Sheppard’s defense impresses Houston Rockets fans
Sheppard’s backcourt partner, Amen Thompson, is considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Thompson made the All-Defensive First Team last season, and many expect him to win the Defensive Player of the Year award one day.
However, he was thoroughly outperformed by Sheppard on the defensive end in the Rockets’ win against the Jazz.
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Sheppard made his presence felt throughout the game, with four steals and two blocks, whereas Thompson had just one steal.
Rockets fans were amazed by his contribution, as he is not normally known for his defensive ability. Here are some of the comments about Sheppard on X:
A post read: “If Reed Sheppard were a little bigger, he’d be an All-NBA defender; his instincts are crazy.” One said, “Reed Sheppard becoming the stocks god in the NBA isn’t surprising.”
“Reed has some of the best hands we’ve seen,” and “Reed Sheppard has been everywhere today defensively” were two more comments.
A Rockets fan predicted: “Reed Sheppard is going to lead the league in steals at some point.” “Reed Sheppard’s defense is ridiculous,” added another.
Amen Thompson has his worst performance this season
While Rockets fans can be delighted with Reed Sheppard’s performance, Amen Thompson’s struggles provided cause for concern.
Thompson has never been an offensive-minded player, but he was expected to improve his scoring output in Fred VanVleet’s absence.
And despite increasing his points per game from 14.1 last season to 16.7 this year, he only scored five in a disappointing display against the Jazz.
Having scored just 10 points in his previous game against the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets will be hoping that it’s just a blip and not a sign of regression.