Rockets’ Reed Sheppard put on a show in Las Vegas Summer League debut

In front of a packed house, Reed Sheppard put on a dazzling performance to lead the Rockets to a win over the Lakers in Las Vegas.

In front of a packed house at the Thomas & Mack Center, Reed Sheppard put on a dazzling performance to lead the Houston Rockets to a win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sheppard produced a team-high 23 points, five assists, four rebounds, three blocked shots and one steal in the 99-80 victory. He went 9-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, in 30 minutes of action in his debut on Friday.

The third pick connected from well behind the arc on several of his 3-point attempts, including a couple of shots from the logo. He also had perhaps the highlight of the game after putting first-round pick Dalton Knecht on skates to get open for a floater.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka approved of his performance.

“I like his all-around game, his IQ,” Udoka told ESPN. “Obviously, the shooting stands out, but he is very competitive (and) has a high IQ. I talk about his parents all of the time, his background and what he has been taught his whole career and his life so far. I love what he is doing today.”

With Sheppard leading the way, the Rockets also got strong performances from second-year forward Cam Whitmore (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Nate Williams (17 points, six rebounds). They led most of the game and went up by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Sheppard showcased himself at a high level and looked to be the best player on the court for much of the game. He shot the ball with extreme confidence and had no issue getting to his spots in the mid-range and the paint for open looks.

After working on his game for much of the offseason, Sheppard was excited to finally showcase it in a competitive game setting. He will be looking to keep it going when the Rockets return to action on Sunday against the Washington Wizards (6 p.m. EDT, ESPN2).

“You get in the gym and you don’t get to play in a game, so you go in and have to work on your game a little bit,” Sheppard said, via Locked on Rockets. “Being able to do that and showcase it in a game is what you work for. You work to be able to play in games, so being able to do that was a lot of fun.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650261252]