Reed

Sheppard

With Kevin Durant (ankle) sidelined for this game, Sheppard started for the first time since Dec. 1 and was able to get off to a strong start by scoring 11 points in the first half. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to add any more points after the break, though he was able to contribute in other categories to make this a well-rounded stat line despite it being a subpar shooting night for him. This isn’t expected to be a long-term absence for Durant, but if he remains out against the Celtics on Wednesday, Sheppard could get another start.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka said that Durant tweaked his ankle by stepping on a fan’s foot on Sunday, and they’re hoping it isn’t a lengthy absence for him. Sheppard should see plenty of usage and minutes as a starter against a rebuilding team.

Holiday is set to miss his fifth consecutive game when the Rockets take on the Pistons in Detroit. The veteran guard has spent the majority of his three seasons in Houston as a depth piece, and his absence on Friday will leave an opportunity for Reed Sheppard to continue to soak up the majority of the backup point guard minutes.

Both players will get the night off for injury maintenance, which means Josh Okogie and Reed Sheppard should see additional minutes against Detroit.

On a night when Houston’s starters didn’t have their best stuff early on, Sheppard gave the Rockets important production off the bench. The second-year guard shot 5-of-10 from the field in the second half, and the 21 points were the most he’s scored in a game since a December 20 win over the Nuggets in which he tallied 28. Sheppaed has been ranked outside the top-200 in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks, so the season-long value has taken a hit. That said, he’s capable of having nights like Tuesday when he offers excellent production.

Finney-Smith is back after missing Houston’s last two games for injury management reasons. His return will likely mean fewer minutes for Reed Sheppard and JD Davison, with the latter possibly falling out of the rotation entirely.

Finney-Smith will miss a second consecutive game due to left ankle injury management. Reed Sheppard and JD Davison both surpassed 20 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Bulls, while Jae’Sean Tate played five minutes. While Sheppard is already rostered in standard leagues, there’s no need to leap Davison or Tate.

While Tuesday’s game is not part of a back-to-back, the Rockets are taking a cautious approach to Finney-Smith’s return from offseason ankle surgery. Also, they host the Thunder on Thursday, which will be a far more critical matchup to have the veteran forward available for. Reed Sheppard should play more after logging 15 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Kings.

Eason sprained his right ankle during the third quarter of Friday’s loss to the Trail Blazers and did not return. While Dorian Finney-Smith is available, Reed Sheppard is the player whose minutes increased the most after Eason’s exit.

Eason played 16 minutes before spraining his right ankle and leaving Friday’s game with just over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. Replaced in the lineup by Reed Sheppard, the Rockets’ forward was declared done for the night early in the fourth quarter. While Eason can be a valuable category league option, the inability to stay healthy has been an issue. The Rockets end their Week 12 schedule in Sacramento on Sunday.