SportsOrbit

Reed Sheppard has not got the debut season he hoped for. He appeared in only 52 Rockets games, averaging 12.6 minutes per contest. That’s certainly far below expectations for the no. 3 selection who lit up college basketball last season at Kentucky as one of the finest rookie shooters in the country.

There are various reasons why Sheppard hasn’t played much. Injuries are part of the tale. He missed the majority of March due to a thumb injury. He is now totally healthy, although he is unlikely to participate in the playoffs.

Sheppard’s minutes have been a problem for the Rockets all season. He was given the opportunity to make his debut early in the season. He didn’t perform especially well and was consigned to garbage time for lengthy stretches afterward.

Sheppard did receive some serious game time looks at the conclusion of the season, when the Rockets had clinched up the second spot. He had some solid outings, including 15 points in the final nine minutes of garbage time and an average of 19.7 points per game in his three starts this season.


Aside from those blips, it’s been a tough year. Sheppard finished his first season averaging just 4.4 points per game, shooting 35 percent from the field and 34 percent from three.

A lack of consistent minutes could be making it difficult for Sheppard to get in a rhythm. That role is partly due to the Rockets not being in a position to let him play through his mistakes. After finishing last season with the No. 11 record in the West, they were the second-best team in the West.   Sheppard also hasn’t been particularly aggressive in his minutes. That was an issue that cropped up at times in college and showed up in full force when Kentucky was upset in the NCAA Tournament.