Is Reed Sheppard playing tonight against the Phoenix Suns? Latest on Rocket rookie's status (March 12)

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard is out for Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Suns. The 20-year-old is currently dealing with an avulsion fracture on his right thumb and is expected to miss at least four weeks of action. Reed was also out for the team’s previous two matchups and last played on March 6 in a 109-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.

It’s been a rough season for Reed, who has missed 20 of the Rockets' 65 games this season. In the 45 appearances he has made, the former Kentucky Wildcat is averaging 3.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. Sheppard’s numbers leave a lot to be desired, considering the Rockets selected him with the third pick during the 2024 NBA draft.

Sheppard showed a lot of promise in college. Through 33 games for Kentucky, he averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Sheppard was stellar from beyond the arc and made 52% of his 3-point attempts. He was also named to the 2023-24 All-SEC, SEC ROY and SEC All-Freshman teams.

Apart from Reed Sheppard, Houston will also need to adjust for the absences of N’Faly Dante (G League), Jack McVeigh (G League), David Roddy (G League) and Amen Thompson (left ankle). From the looks of it, Rockets coach Ime Udoka has his work cut out for him ahead of the Rockets-Suns game.

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Reed Sheppard’s stats against the Phoenix Suns

Reed has only played one game against the Phoenix Suns in his young career. Sheppard saw 11 minutes of action in a 119-111 win for the Rockets, recording five points. Most of Sheppard’s time this season has been restricted to the bench, and he averages 11.9 minutes per game and usually doesn’t see any action until the end of most matchups.

However, Reed Sheppard is still a promising player and recorded 25 points and five assists in his only start for the Rockets. Hopefully for Houston, Sheppard can do this consistently once he starts getting more minutes in Ime Udoka’s rotation.

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When and where to watch Phoenix Suns vs. Houston Rockets?

The Phoenix Suns will visit the Toyota Center to take on the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. The game is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PT). Fans can tune into the live broadcast on SCHN and AZFamily. It will also be streamed live on NBA League Pass and FuboTV.