With 4 steals in a single game, the Rockets 11+2 shooter defense is underestimated. The upper limit is higher than Amen. The two front lines are misfired.

The Rockets are getting better and better, and they had a tough battle with the Bucks, and staged a big reversal in the final quarter. This is the most valuable game the Rockets have won since Durant joined the team. Because of VanVleet's injury, even if the Rockets won the first few games, they played very poorly. They basically relied on rebounding and fighting to win. As a team that aspires to compete for the championship, its tactics need to be upgraded and there must be changes that opponents cannot break. Sheppard is the player who changed the Rockets.

In the game against the Bucks, Sheppard scored 16 points, including 4 of 5 three-pointers. Durant praised the second-year rookie after the game. Last season, the Rockets had Jaylen Green and VanVleet on the back line, two players who needed a lot of the ball. As a result, even though he was the No. 3 draft pick, Sheppard was sent to the Development League, averaging only 4 points per game and shooting only 33% from three-point range. Sheppard was injured this season, and Uduka had to promote him. He only took 9 games to prove himself, averaging 11+2 per game.

Sheppard scored 16 points and 2 assists in this game, and made 4 of 6 three-pointers. The key point is that he had 4 steals, and his contribution on the defensive end is underestimated. He is currently positioned as the team's sixth man, responsible for grabbing points in the second team. Uduka is not very good at cultivating defenders. With Sheppard's outstanding performance, he not only has more shot rights, but the tactics are also more inclined to him, opening up space for him to shoot. Sheppard has the ability to shoot three-pointers from a distance without blind spots. What he needs to improve is his ability to control movement and finish at the basket.

In the Rockets' tactical system, Shepard's defensive problems can be solved through his teammates. He has strong steals and defensive prediction skills, but is slightly inferior in one-on-one confrontations. The Rockets have top defensive players such as Okogie, Ethan and Amen Thompson, which can make up for Shepard's problems in position battles. Durant made 11 of 15 in this game and scored 31 points. Sheppard's offensive threat made the opponent's double-team tactics no longer effective. His ceiling is higher than Amen.

Amen Thompson's statistics are now greater than his actual role. This season, he averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, but he also made 2.7 turnovers and lacked a shooting threat. Amen's offensive efficiency is not high and he can only rely on counterattacks and air cuts. If he does not develop stable three-pointers, he can only be used as an assistant and cannot become the core of the team. After the Rockets won, their ranking rose to fifth in the Western Conference, but they averaged 16.3 turnovers per game, fourth most in the league.

The Rockets did not have the No. 1 position to control the court, which resulted in such a situation. The forwards were misfired in many games against the Bucks. Jabari Smith made 5 of 15. Two go-ahead three-pointers in the fourth quarter completed the redemption. Ethan made 0 of 5 three-pointers and only had 6 points and 8 rebounds. The Rockets' forward line was originally full of talents, but misfires were relatively rare at the same time. This requires the return of new aid Finney Smith, who joined in the off-season. The Rockets can further enrich their five-small tactics, and at the same time, they can better make up for Sheppard's defensive shortcomings.