Reed Sheppard's clutch plays keep Rockets alive as Houston staves off elimination against Lakers

Key facts

• Reed Sheppard scored 12 points, six assists, and three steals in Game 5.
• Sheppard hit a pull-up jumper over Deandre Ayton with 2:37 left, giving the Rockets a five-point lead.
• He then stole the ball from LeBron James and dunked to extend the lead to 92-85.
• The Rockets won 99-93, avoiding elimination for the second straight game.
• Game 6 is Friday at Toyota Center in Houston.
• No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
• Sheppard had 17 points, four rebounds, and seven assists in Game 3, but committed five turnovers including the critical one.
• The Rockets gave up a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation in Game 3, losing 112-108 in overtime.

A series on the brink

With less than three minutes left in Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena, the Houston Rockets' 13-point lead had shrunk to three. LeBron James had just charged in for a layup, and the crowd roared. For Rockets fans, the moment felt familiar — a painful echo of Game 3, when a six-point lead with 30 seconds left dissolved into a devastating overtime loss. But this time, second-year guard Reed Sheppard made sure history did not repeat. He scored on a pull-up jumper over Deandre Ayton with 2:37 remaining, then stole the ball from James on the next possession and finished with a dunk, pushing the lead to 92-85. The Rockets held on for a 99-93 victory, staving off elimination for the second straight game and sending the series back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday.

Sheppard's redemption arc

Sheppard's heroics were a direct response to his critical mistake in Game 3. With the Rockets leading 101-95 and 25 seconds left in regulation, Sheppard tried to split a double-team instead of passing to an open teammate. LeBron James poked the ball away, leading to a game-tying three-pointer. The Lakers won in overtime, taking a 3-0 series lead. After that loss, coach Ime Udoka made the team watch the miscues immediately. Sheppard said the feedback helped him clear his mind. Teammates texted and told him to keep his head up. "Let's go get these next four games," he recalled them saying. Houston is now halfway there.

Playing through illness

Sheppard was not at full strength in Game 5. He told Ernie Johnson and the broadcast crew that he was "a little sick," according to a post on X by Sports Illustrated's Lachard Binkley. The 21-year-old guard was not listed on the injury report, and he showed no signs of discomfort on the court. "I didn't pay no attention to it," Sheppard said of a shoulder-check from James after the layup. "We didn't want to let that happen again." He finished with 12 points, six assists, and three steals, following up a 17-point performance in Game 4 that included four three-pointers.

Udoka's trust in youth

With starting point guard Fred VanVleet sidelined by a preseason injury, the Rockets have relied on Sheppard and Amen Thompson in the backcourt. In the final minute of Game 5, with the Lakers shooting free throws that would cut the lead to five, Udoka called the two over for an impromptu huddle. "The ball is going to be in you guys' hands. Control it, take care of the ball... be vocal, be dominant and go get the ball," Udoka recalled telling them. The Rockets did not commit a turnover in the last eight minutes, even under pressure, and made their free throws to seal the win.

A historic comeback in reach

The Rockets are trying to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. After losing Game 3, they were one of only two teams in the last 29 years to lose a playoff game when leading by six or more points in the final 30 seconds of regulation.The other was the 2024 New York Knicks. Sheppard, who took full accountability for his Game 3 turnover, rejected any excuse about playoff inexperience. "No, I played basketball long enough," he said. "Dribbling up the court with 30 seconds left is dribbling up the court with 30 seconds left. There's never an excuse."

What lies ahead

Game 6 returns to Toyota Center on Friday night. The Rockets have won two straight elimination games, and the Lakers have not been able to close out the series. LeBron James, who scored the game-tying three in Game 3, said he is not worried, but the pressure is mounting. For Sheppard, the lesson from Game 3 has been learned. "I should have made the right play and not turned it over," he said. "That was the one thing that could beat us, was a turnover and a three in that situation." Now, with the series back in Houston, the Rockets have a chance to force a Game 7.

The bottom line

• Reed Sheppard's late-game steal and jumper in Game 5 kept the Rockets alive, cutting the Lakers' series lead to 3-2.
• Sheppard's critical turnover in Game 3 led to a game-tying three and an eventual overtime loss, but he has bounced back with strong performances.
• The Rockets are trying to become the first NBA team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
• Coach Ime Udoka has entrusted young guards Sheppard and Amen Thompson with closing duties in the absence of Fred VanVleet.
• Sheppard played through illness in Game 5, according to a report, and showed no signs of it on the court.
• Game 6 is Friday in Houston; a Rockets win would force a decisive Game 7.