Reed Sheppard drops career-high 31 as Rockets rally to beat Warriors 104-100; Sheppard becomes second youngest in Rockets history to record 30+ points

Reed Sheppard scored a career-high 31 points, along with nine rebounds and five assists, as the Houston Rockets overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors 104-100 on Wednesday night. The matchup was a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff series, in which the Warriors won Game 7 as the seventh seed. Sheppard also became the second youngest player in Rockets history to record 30+ points.


Jimmy Butler contributed 21 points, five rebounds, and five assists for Houston, while Alperen Sengun added 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists. For Golden State, Stephen Curry scored 14 points, rookie Will Richard had 18, and Moses Moody, who reached 2,000 career points, made a clutch 3-pointer with six seconds left to bring the Warriors within two. Moody then fouled Sheppard, who calmly sank both free throws to seal the victory.



The game featured a tense moment late in the fourth quarter when Curry and Amen Thompson collided under the basket with the score tied at 91. Thompson’s drive was initially called an offensive foul, but Houston successfully challenged, and it was ruled a block by Curry. Draymond Green returned after missing Monday’s win against Utah with a sprained right foot, contributing 12 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.


Houston struggled early, shooting just 39.6% in the first half and trailing 59-47 at the break. Sheppard’s consecutive baskets late in the third helped the Rockets close the gap to 76-74 heading into the fourth, which began with a 5-0 burst in Houston’s favor.

The Rockets were without Steven Adams due to a right ankle injury and Kevin Durant for personal reasons, though Coach Ime Udoka expects Durant to return next game. Golden State was missing Al Horford with sciatica, while Jonathan Kumina continued his recovery from bilateral knee tendinitis in G League scrimmages.