One Player Who Can Unlock the Rockets in Game 3 vs. Lakers

Houston has struggled against Los Angeles this NBA playoffs, but one player can unlock this team's potential with the season on the line.

Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard Reed Sheppard (15) look on during a play during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

While there are still at least two games left in this first-round series, the Houston Rockets are a loss away from their season being practically shut down. Down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers, they were putrid in Games 1 and 2, and will now play a home stand at the Toyota Center.

To open the series, the Rockets averaged 96 points on 39-29-73 shooting splits across two games. The Lakers were doing to them what many teams had done all year long: aggressively pressuring ball handlers at half-court and double-teaming off screens. Despite winning nine of their last 10 regular-season games, Houston looked like a shell of itself to start the postseason.

There are so many to blame for this lack of offensive production, namely head coach Ime Udoka. Combine a lack of offensive adjustments with a visible frustration toward players, and it's clear that JJ Redick is coaching circles around him.

However, that doesn't mean Houston can't turn this series around. The Rockets have gotten hot in the past, and the Lakers are still without Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique). With the right pieces and game plan, Houston can rattle off some wins at home. But a lot of that could come down to one player.

As much as Kevin Durant is the team's best weapon by a country mile, Reed Sheppard is the key to unlocking the Rockets' offense. The limitations of Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson and the rest of the rotation are clear: they lack shooting.

Udoka played Sheppard for just 11 minutes in Game 2, which had many frustrated. He appeared to be focused on the defensive side of the ball, although the 6-foot-2 has proven he can be a disruptor on the end.

Houston shot 24.1% from three-point range on Tuesday, but had Sheppard received more opportunities, the contest would have been tighter. He shot 0-for-4 from the field, but it looked as though he was worried about being subbed out with every mistake made. Udoka is killing his confidence, and with that, his ability to uplift this unit.

Throughout the regular season, Sheppard was praised for his efforts off the bench and garnered enough praise to be a starter in the backend of the schedule. The 2024 lottery pick averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals on 39.4% shooting from deep in all 82 games. That simply cannot be ignore.

According to databallr, Sheppard boosts the Rockets' three-point shooting from 34.2% to 37.1% when on the floor. Their true shooting also rises from 56.7% to 57.7%, closer to the NBA's average (58%).

Udoka doesn't have to run most of the offense through Sheppard as he did in Game 1; with Durant on the floor, the 21-year-old can take a backseat. However, Houston's only legitimate shooter can't be on the bench for more than 75% of the game like he was in Game 2. Sheppard can unlock the Rockets' offense, as proven earlier in the year; he just needs the opportunity.