Reed Sheppard Reacts to 28-Point Performance, Rockets Win vs. Nuggets

Reed Sheppard's jump from year one to year two has been almost unprecedented when considering how limited he was last season. The 6-foot-2 guard went from a rookie who couldn't get much burn on a playoff team to an elite contributor to a title-contending Houston Rockets squad.

This season, Sheppard is averaging 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 46-44-71 shooting splits. His 44.2% from three ranks 18th in the league, but Jamal Murray (third) and AJ Green (eighth) are the only ones listed above him who have taken more shots from beyond the arc.

Most recently, the 21-year-old put up 28 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a 115-101 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. After losing two in a row before the road matchup, the Rockets desperately needed a victory against an opponent that led the season series 2-0. Sheppard showed up and finished second in scoring behind Kevin Durant (31 points).

After the game, Sheppard spoke to the media about the team's performance. Houston's effort was a point of concern in its previous game, a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. He noted that it was much better against a better opponent.

"It was an all-effort game," Sheppard said. "Losing two in a row, coming back here, we didn't want to lose and drop another one. The effort and energy was great from the beginning. We were physical, we played together, made the right play, made the easy play, and we made shots."

The Rockets managed to shoot 51% from the field and an incredible 54% from three on 35 attempts. They currently rank second in fourth-quarter points per game (30.8), and continued that trend with 33 in the final 12 minutes.

However, the defense is what kept Houston ahead, holding the Nuggets to just 37 points in the second and third quarters. It one of the hardest arenas to play in, the Rockets played through the noise against a top-three seed in the Western Conference.

Sheppard also noted how much this win means, not just being against a title contender, but one that outlasted Houston in the previous two matchups. The Nuggets won those games by three points each, with one going into overtime.

"It's definitely two playoff teams that, every time we play, it's a really fun game, a really great atmosphere," Sheppard said. "The games always go down to the wire. They got a great team, great players, so it's always a fun game.

"Nobody likes to lose at all, especially two in a row, let alone three in a row. We were going to come in and do everything we can not to lose this one. So it was a big win for us."

Houston will continue its road trip and conclude a back-to-back set with a Sunday night game against the Sacramento Kings. The Rockets are 4-4 in December, having struggled a bit, but can make a statement by winning two road games in two days.