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Reed Sheppard delivered one of the defining defensive sequences of Game 5, and he later explained the mindset behind it after the Houston Rockets’ 99-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Yeah. When they made their run at the end like you said and cut it to a one possession game, we definitely remember what happened in game three and we didn’t want to let that happen again,” Sheppard said.
The rookie guard emphasized execution under pressure rather than emotion during the closing stretch at Crypto.com Arena.
“So just being able to stick together and make the right play and get the right offensive sets and get good shots, that’s what we were able to do,” he added.
Sheppard’s key moment came late when he stripped LeBron James and finished at the rim after earlier responding with a mid-range jumper. The sequence helped Houston regain control after Los Angeles cut the deficit to one possession.
When asked if the contact from James affected him, Sheppard dismissed it quickly. “No, I didn’t pay no attention to it.”
Houston has now won two straight games to push the series to 3-2 after trailing 3-1, a shift Sheppard credited to collective effort rather than individual momentum.
“Just got to fight. It’s all about going out there and fighting and competing,” he said.
The guard repeatedly returned to that theme when discussing defending bigger opponents in the series.
“Like I said, fight. You just got to fight,” Sheppard said. “They’re bigger, but it doesn’t matter. You just got to fight and compete and do the best you can to stop them from getting the basketball in the goal.”
Sheppard also addressed his health after revealing he dealt with illness before the game, though he said it did not affect his availability.
“I’m feeling good. Better that we won. Voice doesn’t sound great, but it’s all good. Just a little congestion, headache, but it’s all good. We’re good.”
The Rockets’ young core has been under pressure throughout the series, especially after dropping a 3-1 deficit and losing Kevin Durant for multiple games. Sheppard said the response has defined their approach.
“It’s huge,” he said. “We could have very easily shut it down and pouted and quit, but that’s not what we did.”
He added that film work after Game 3 played a key role in resetting the group.
“For sure. It’s always good to, it sucks to have to watch something like that and learn from it, but it’s the best thing for you,” Sheppard said.
Late-game execution also stood out for the guard, especially after Houston survived another Lakers push similar to Game 3.
“We kind of stayed through their run at the end and we made the right plays,” he said. “At the end of the day, we fought and we battled and we didn’t turn the ball over and we made free throws.”
As the series shifts back to Houston for Game 6, Sheppard summarized the team’s mental approach in simple terms.
“You just got to go out there with a new mindset every game, ready to compete and play hard.”
