Reed Sheppard gives the Rockets an epic silver lining in heartbreaking loss

Although the Houston Rockets ultimately fell, 112-109, to the Denver Nuggets in their third game of NBA Cup group play, there were a number of performances that showed the Rockets' continued improvement.

The foremost among these was the play of second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who got hot early and, although he slowed down in the second half, finished the game as the team's leading scorer.

He posted a career-high 27 points, also amassing four assists and two steals while shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the arc throughout the course of the game. While Houston ultimately lost in heartbreaking fashion as Alperen Sengun missed the final shot at the buzzer, at least Sheppard's growing confidence was put on full display.

Reed Sheppard is becoming a player who can step up when he is most needed

Although Sheppard had a relatively rough start to the season, he has been looking more and more comfortable in his enhanced role for quite some time now, having averaged 15.7 points and shot 51.3% from 3-point range in the six games preceding the Rockets' matchup with Denver.

Against the Nuggets, the team needed him more than they have this entire season.

The offense as a whole was embarassingly limited in the first half against the Nuggets' staunch defense, and they only were able to really get going in the second quarter when Sheppard began to take advantage of Denver's attempts to run him off the 3-point line.

Sengun and Kevin Durant, meanwhile, had rough nights. Sengun went 6-of-15 from the floor, scoring just a season-low 14 points and going -16 in his 36 minutes on the court. Durant, meanwhile, mostly went missing in the clutch, finishing the game with just 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Houston desperately needed their other scorers to step up, and Sheppard (along with Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.) did so. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to top the soaring Nuggets.

Yet, this should not be too disheartening of a loss for the Rockets. They are in possession of a 10-4 record, and two of their losses have come in tight games against presumably the two best teams in the NBA.

At this point in the season, what the team must be searching for is signs of continued development on a night-to-night basis. While Sengun and Durant's lackluster performances in such a pivotal game were indeed disappointing, Sheppard is emerging as one of the team's most dynamic scorers, and that should be enough to provide a glimmer of hope for now.