As the Houston Rockets prevailed over the Golden State Warriors in their final matchup of NBA Cup play, the absence of both Kevin Durant and Steven Adams did not bode well for the team given how helpful those two players would have been in exploiting their opponents' weaknesses.
Yet, young guard Reed Sheppard stole the show, scoring a career-high 31 points and adding on nine rebounds and five assists to round off what was certainly the most dynamic performance of his short time in the NBA.
The Rockets, undoubtedly, need Sheppard to break out as a dependable offensive player this year, and him seizing opportunities like the one afforded to him against Golden State goes a long way toward him accomplishing that goal.