Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard was disappointed with his distribution skills after the first game of the regular season. On October 24, 2025, Reed told reporters he needed to find a way to create better shots for Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant.
“I’ve got to be better. It’s Kevin Durant, that’s what they’re going to do. You can’t just let him catch the ball”.
“I talked to him. I told him, ‘I’ve got to be better at finding ways to get (you) the ball.’ But as a team, (it’s about) finding different ways to screen for him and Alpi (Alperen Sengun). Get them open, get them better shots, and get them in places where they can do what they do”.
Ime Udoka’s Lineups
Although Sheppard is being a good teammate by taking accountability for the team’s offensive issues, he is being too hard on himself. Upon reviewing film of Houston’s first two games, Sheppard’s problems stem from the team roster. Over the first two games, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has utilized Sheppard in a lineup with limited spacing.
Sheppard has most frequently played with Alperen Sengun, Durant, Jabari Smith, and Steven Adams. The unit has averaged 4.2 minutes per game over the team’s first two outings. Unfortunately, this lineup has three below-average shooters.
According to Basketball Reference, the league average three-point percentage has been 36.2% since the 2020-21 season. Adams, Sengun, and Smith have career three-point percentages below this threshold. Smith has the best career three-point percentage out of the three players, converting 34% of his attempts on five shots per game.
The lack of shooting in the lineup has encouraged teams to give multiple players open when they don’t have the ball. As a result, opposing coaches are telling their players to focus on the ball handler.
Reed Sheppard vs Thunder
Consequently, there have been numerous instances in the first two games in which multiple defenders surround Sheppard. On October 21, 2025, Sheppard dribbled the ball up to the court with seven minutes left in the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Upon arriving on the left wing, Steven Adams tried to set a screen to initiate a pick-and-roll.
Unfortunately, Steven Adams was unsuccessful as Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Hartenstein surrounded Sheppard before he could set the screen. As a result, Sheppard was forced to pass to Smith, who stood on the right wing, to reset the offense.
Smith took a couple of steps towards the basket until multiple defenders surrounded him. As a result, he passed the ball to Josh Okogie, who was in the left corner. Similar to Smith, he took a couple of steps towards the basket before stopping and deciding to pass the ball to Durant, who was on the right wing.
Kevin would end up missing a contested turnaround jumper from the free throw line.
Dealing with multiple defenders due to poor spacing has prevented Sheppard from penetrating the defense. Consequently, he is only able to make passes that reset the offense rather than create quality shots for his teammates.
Houston’s statistics with Sheppard on the court
Therefore, Sheppard and the team have performed poorly during his 24.1 minutes of action. Reed is averaging 37.5 passes per game, fifth most on the team. Over the first two games, 38.7% of his passes have been to Alperen Sengun, who has received 14.5 per game. The passes to Alperen have mostly been to start or reset an offensive sequence.
On October 24, 2025, Sheppard dribbled the ball up the court with two minutes to go in the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons. Upon passing half court, he passed it to Alperen Sengun on the right side of the court. Sengun dribbled the ball to the free-throw line and made a mid-range jumper.
These types of plays have contributed to Alperen Sengun shooting 38.5% on passes from Sheppard in 6.5 attempts per game. Sengun has helped Reed accumulate 1.5 assists per game, accounting for 60% of his distribution production.
As a result, Houston is averaging 8 assists per contest with him on the court, the second-lowest on the team. The eighth assists have contributed to Houston averaging 49.5 points, shooting 35.6% on 43.5 attempts.
Udoka’s philosophy
Unfortunately, Houston’s circumstances are unlikely to change for the rest of the season due to spacing issues. As I have mentioned before, Ime Udoka has been the catalyst for the lack of shooting on the roster.
He prefers a roster centered on players with a defensive mindset. According to ESPN, Udoka prioritizes acquiring players who play with physicality and have a defensive edge.
“The Rockets’ front office had three free agency targets in mind before it began the coaching search: Brooks, VanVleet and big man Brook Lopez. They all fit Udoka’s vision as tough, defensive-minded vets. Lopez changed his mind at the last minute — after the Rockets had made salary-dumping moves to clear space to sign him — and returned to the Milwaukee Bucks. But the Rockets landed Brooks and VanVleet, signing them to deals worth a total of $215 million, providing Udoka a pair of relentlessly competitive tone-setters for the defensive turnaround.”
“That approach just rubbed off on our whole team immediately,” Udoka said. “We can only say so much and teach so much and try to scheme around guys so much. But to have guys out there that do it on a nightly basis that have carved out their niche in the league with toughness and that edge, that defensive mentality, it was invaluable for our team. We needed it.”
Given his philosophy, Houston has only three players on the roster who are classified as average to above-average shooters. Aaron Holiday, Durant, and Dorian Finney-Smith have a career shooting percentage of at least 36.2% on a minimum of 2.7 attempts per game.
Unless Houston decides to play these players together, opposing teams will give multiple Rockets players space throughout games.
Therefore, Reed Sheppard is being unfairly held responsible for Houston’s offensive issues. However, Ime Udoka’s preferences have been the real catalyst for the team’s issues.
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