If you were waiting for a Reed Sheppard breakout game, you got it on Thursday in the Rockets ' preseason finale -- a 133-115 victory over the basically full-strength Hawks in which Sheppard rattled off 29 points in 29 minutes, six assists, six rebounds, four steals and three blocks.

Before we get to the offense, those seven stocks (steals + blocks) are a serious number and probably not a fluke. Sheppard blocked a ton a shots as a 6-foot-3 guard at Kentucky, and his disruptive defense was regarded as an element that could very well transfer to the NBA . This sequence is Sheppard at his best, poking a ball loose from Trae Young , one of the best handlers in the world, and pulling up for a 3 on the other end.

Even in limited action as a rookie, Sheppard averaged basically two stea

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