Reed Sheppard provided a major boost in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sheppard finished with 12 points, six assists, and three steals. After LeBron James made a layup to cut the deficit to five with just under three minutes remaining, Sheppard responded by scoring his ninth and 10th points on a simple midrange jump shot.
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Moments later, Sheppard recorded his third steal by stripping the ball from James and converting it into a breakaway dunk. The play helped the Rockets seal the victory, along with clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch.
For Sheppard, the performance reflected how he and his teammates responded after being on the brink of elimination following a Game 3 loss at home — a game in which they surrendered a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds.
“After what happened in Game 3, we could have very easily shut it down and pouted and quit, but that’s not what we did,” Sheppard said. “We watched it (game film), we learned from it, and just kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance to play. It’s about going out there, fighting and competing. We have a lot of confidence in each other, and we trust each other, so when we go out there, we’re going to give it our all and play as hard as we can.”
Sheppard’s impact on both ends of the floor will be crucial as the Rockets host the Lakers for Game 6 at the Toyota Center.