GP MIN FG FG% 3PT 3P% FT FT% OR DR REB AST BLK STL PF TO PTS 3 36.3 7.3-15.0 48.9 4.3-8.3 52.0 0.7-0.7 100.0 0.0 3.3 3.3 4.7 0.7 2.0 2.0 3.3 19.7
The frustrating thing is after Sunday, we probably won’t see him again until next fall. He’s small and doesn’t have the lower body strength of a FVV (or his savvy - he’s obviously small as well, but knows how to defend bigger players). However, he’s quick with his hands and has good instincts. The strength and savvy will hopefully come with some time in the gym and more experience. Right now, his minutes won’t, however, as we know how Ime feels about defense and particularly in the playoffs. On offense, he is looking more confident and comfortable out there. Not where he wants to be, but if he has another shooting game from 3 like either of these past few games, he will end up near 35/36% for the season. Not where we expect him to be or want him to be, but over the last 10 games, he’s over 52% from distance. It’s a huge improvement. Looks silky smooth and confident. He’s also made some great passes and has shown flashes of being able to handle running the offense. He’s also had some bad passes, but rookie growing pains… My biggest question is whether the confidence stems from him knowing he’s getting 35-40 min, regardless of any missed defensive assignments or TOs, or would this confidence still translate if he got 10 minute spurts in the playoffs. Hard to say, because we haven’t had a chance to see much of him outside of these past few games and garbage time. Hopefully his confidence continues to grow, and hoping Ime finds a way to get him a few minutes. I’d rather see him out there than Holiday. He’s a young #3 pick, the latter is a journeyman. They both have the same career high of 25. One of those is 51 games, the other in nearly 500…. Just saying. Who has the higher potential there?
Reed Sheppard Career Starts GP - 3 MIN - 36.3 _____________ PTS - 19.7 _____________ FG - 7.3-15.0 FG% - 48.9 _____________ 3PT - 4.3-8.3 3P% - 52.0 _____________ FT - 0.7-0.7 FT% - 100.0 _____________ OR - 0.0 DR - 3.3 REB - 3.3 _____________ AST - 4.7 _____________ BLK - 0.7 STL - 2.0 _____________ PF - 2.0 TO - 3.3 Looks like a Top 3 pick to me. It may be closer to time to move on from VanVleet than we thought.
Good point to bring in the G League numbers as a comparison. But I'd argue it the other way: It wasn't the coaching that differed. I'd bet that Reed was still thinking about the coach who matters to his future, which is Ime. He wouldn't want to do stuff in the G League that Ime doesn't like, any more than he'd do stuff with the Rockets that Ime doesn't like. What was different in the G League, IMO, was the level of the opponent and the level of Reed's teammates. So my speculation is that Reed gets more cautious when he sees that his teammates are really good (so I'd better pass them the ball and step back) or that the defenders are good (so maybe I can't get by this guy and shouldn't try). It's a cautious disposition, but he's not blind: If he thinks he's the best option on the floor, or if he thinks it's a good bet that he can beat his man, he'll go for it. And I'd say the same about Jabari, who I also think is basically cautious. It's caution contingent on the circumstances.
Not to say this isn't a concern, but these comparisons really aren't worth making yet, imo. FVV was even less of a factor than Reed as a rookie and didn't start getting minutes until his 2nd year, during which he was 23 years old. The equivalent season is still three years away for Reed, at which point his experience, body, and strength should all be significantly improved.
I don't see how you give FVV a bunch of money with this kid right there. He is the starter. Do you pay a bunch of money to a good player, but one that is going to be on the bench. Let Reed take over next year. His shooting is what this team really needs.
He'd be bad at any plus-minus numbers because he basically plays with bench players the whole time. And his starter minutes were against starter level opponents. They lost those games by wide margins.
Reed made Several mistakes yesterday. You can’t play him in the playoffs and risk giving up points the other way on both ends. He made several bad passes jumping then passing in mid air. On the defensive end he missed several assignments like not going out to his guy in the corner on the zone. Overplaying passes which he always does etc. you absolutely can’t have this in the playoffs. Holliday plays defense and steady on both ends but I don’t suspect either will play much in the playoffs.
Shooting isn’t everything. He made quite a few mistakes on both ends as he isn’t ready this year. He will be in year 2 next which comes with more learning curves. Biggest part for me though us defense. Right now it can’t be trusted. Hopefully he can work on these things for next season
I don’t understand why he would be a starter based on 2 games. While I love that he’s confident shooting and making his shots he still avg 3.5 TO’s and made several mistakes on both ends including blown zone assignments, getting beat one on one and bad passes. Doesn’t mean he can’t improve. Doesn’t mean he can’t get better. Just means he has potential but right now he isn’t ready. There’s a lot that goes into becoming a winning player and as you see last night with him and Cam a lot of offensive output but in terms of making winning plays at important moments it was lacking. Reminds me of the Silas days with KPJ and Jalen and JC. I think maybe over the offseason and thru training camp we will see a much more polished version who may crack the rotation next year.
Sheppard's 3 point % is up to 34% on the season based largely on finally getting some opportunity and he's hitting 52.6% from 3 since his first start. He's still a rookie, and like all rookies he has plenty to work on, but it's looking a lot like this kid is going to be a star.
All I know is I can't wait until the team has fully matured and playing in their prime together. PG - Sheppard SG - Green / Whitmore SF - Thompson / Eason PF - Sengun / Smith ..C - Maluach Too bad that would be completely unaffordable but would be badass to have like 10 years straight with that squad.
For a long stretch he was. DEC-.154 FEB-.276 Shooting well this month APR .472 People were simply commenting on his level of play as they saw it. He was shooting 31% up until APR 6. His breakout game where he started to get aggressive was probably the 25 pt OKC game MAR 3. Some encouraging signs so we will see. No point in overhyping him or undervaluing him.
You don't compare the percentages in stretches of a season, especially at the beginning of the guys' NBA career, and say, "This guy is a better/worse shooter." Castle has never been a good shooter. In fact, that's the knock about him in the draft. And his NBA shooting matched his college percentage. Sheppard on the other hand was a great shooter in college and his shooting form has always been perfect even during the time when his shots weren't falling. To say that Sheppard was a worse shooter than Castle was clearly cherry picking numbers to diss a guy he didn't think would amount to anything in the NBA. Jabari was also a great shooter in college. A lot of people who didn't like Jabari said that he's a bad shooter just because he struggled in his rookie year. This kind of comments just show the biases of those posters.
