Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore Seize an Opportunity for the Rockets

The Houston Rockets' main rotation consists of many first-round and lottery draft picks. The organization signed veterans like Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet to supplement their young players and to show the young Rockets how to play competitive basketball. There's now a logjam at certain positions that keeps promising players like 2024 lottery pick Reed Sheppard and 2023 first-rounder Cam Whitmore from having consistent playing time. Those two players showed a glimpse of what they're capable of with a stellar performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the top team in the West.

Sheppard and Whitmore have both seen time in the G-League this season. They each proved their abilities surpassed the level of play in their respective games, but they gained some valuable playing time to earn confidence.

Their opportunities with the main team since have been limited, however.

Whitmore is sometimes frozen out of the lineup because of Houston's horde of quality wings. Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. get most of Houston's wing minutes. Whitmore can provide a spark in spot minutes for the team, but his defensive ability doesn't match some of his teammates.

Head coach Ime Udoka values defense and effort over anything, so the team's other wings have taken priority over Whitmore. He's also quick to pull Whitmore when the second-year player's offensive game is lacking.

Sheppard has had similar difficulty getting consistent minutes in the main rotation. Early in the season, Sheppard had a few more opportunities than Whitmore since there was no clear backup to VanVleet. However, Sheppard struggled to find his rhythm against NBA competition, especially with his deep-range shot.

Even after exploding against G-League competition, Sheppard still couldn't find his shot consistently.

Their struggles with the main team this season have kept the pair of young players out of the lineup, but a rash of injury management gave them a big opportunity against the Thunder. Both players took advantage of their chance and nearly led the Rockets to an improbable comeback against the Western Conference's best team.

Whitmore led the team with 27 points on high efficiency, hitting four of his six three-point attempts. He also did the dirty work that helps earn favor with Udoka by picking up 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. It was a quality outing for Whitmore, who has previously shown some frustration with his role and opportunities.

Sheppard followed suit with an impactful offensive game. He led the team with five assists and added 25 points. He created his shots from all over the court, proving to be an adept mid-range shooter. Sheppard showed confidence creating his shot against tight defense, knocking down floaters, jumpers, and getting to the lane for layups.

Whitmore and Sheppard performed significantly during a game where many of the Rockets' main players sat out. Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. didn't finish the game, leaving most of the minutes for the young players who usually sit at the end of the bench.

Their performance, while impactful, doesn't guarantee they'll be in the rotation through the rest of the season. However, they likely made an impression with Udoka after leading the Rockets against one of the league's best teams.

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