The Houston Rockets took home a convincing 128-97 victory over the lifeless Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night even with Amen Thompson taking the night off due to a quad injury, thanks in large part to a dominant performance from Alperen Sengun that saw the Turkish star record his third triple-double of the season. But Thompson's absence also paved the way for Reed Sheppard to enter the starting lineup.

Sheppard has not exactly established himself as an indispensable player in the eyes of head coach Ime Udoka. He has considerable defensive shortcomings that limit his upside in a defense-first Rockets system, but he has this blistering shooting nights that make him such an invaluable X-factor for the team nonetheless.

On Wednesday, Sheppard made the most of his rare start, tallying a game-high 28 points after drilling seven triples on 16 attempts from beyond the arc on the night. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka commented on Sheppard's performance after the game and revealed what went right for the talented sophomore.

“Aggressiveness, hunting his shots. The fact that he got 12 [shots] up in the first half tells you all you need to know,” Udoka said, via Space City Home Network on X. “Great job overall. Made the right plays as well.”

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Reed Sheppard looms large for the Rockets amid Fred VanVleet's absence

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after a play during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

VanVleet's presence would have allowed Sheppard to be eased in more slowly by the Rockets. However, VanVleet's season-ending torn ACL prior to the start of the season has thrust Sheppard into action, and he suffered a few ups and downs that are common among young guards who are still learning the ropes of what it means to be a playmaker in the association.

Sheppard, for what it's worth, has produced in the games he's started. In seven starts, he's averaged 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists to go along with 2.1 steals per game.