- Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard were both outstanding on Monday at Oklahoma City as the Rockets were missing five rotation players, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Whitmore had 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks, while Sheppard contributed 25 points and five assists. Both players have been on the fringe of Houston’s rotation lately and were happy to get the opportunity. “It felt great,” Sheppard said. “Just getting the chance to be out there and play. It was a lot of fun getting a rhythm and flow, up and down. Being able to knock down some shots and get some assists. Really fun game. We didn’t win and that part sucks, but being out there with the guys and battling was fun.”
- Rockets guard Jalen Green has gotten better at protecting the ball while improving his play-making skills, Iko adds. Green averaged 4.4 assists per game in February, the best one-month performance of his career, and he’s in the 54th percentile in turnover percentage while being in the 99th percentile in usage rate. “It’s a process that he improved on last year,” coach Ime Udoka said. “But understanding — especially on a night where guys are missing — he’s going to be the focal point of a defense. Continue to work on it, improve in that area. It’s something we’ve really stressed to him and he’s gotten better at.”