Reed Sheppard shows concerning signs in his first start of the season for Rockets

In the Houston Rockets' 114-92 victory over the Phoenix Suns, their defense was yet again overpowering as their opponents struggled to gain any momentum on the offensive side of the floor, and, given Amen Thompson's stellar performance, there were multiple silver linings to walk away with in Kevin Durant's absence.

Yet, the performance of Reed Sheppard, who got the start for the first time this season, was mildly concerning. Although it was just one game, and Sheppard is still experiencing the ups and downs that young players are prone to, the best version of the Rockets requires Sheppard to claim a starting role as quickly as possible.

He posted just seven points, one rebound and five assists while shooting 1-of-5 from beyond the arc: a marked difference from the confidence that we have seen out of Sheppard over this past stretch of games.

Reed Sheppard needs to become a starter for this team, but he still needs more time to grow his confidence

As the season started, many around the league had major concerns surrounding Sheppard's ability to even become a viable player this season, let alone an integral piece of Houston's bench. Yet, after a shaky start, he has undeniably found his footing, averaging 17.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists while 53.2% from 3-point range in the seven games preceding the matchup against Phoenix.

As his confidence has grown, he has been willing not only to pull up from virtually anywhere on the court but also to utilize the spacing he creates to get downhill and score in the mid-range and at the basket.

Therefore, with Durant out for two games tending to personal matters, it only made sense to inject Sheppard into the Rockets' starting lineup.

In the three games he started last season, he averaged an astounding 19.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 52% from beyond the arc.

Yet, against the Suns, it seemed as though the Rockets' opponent was more prepared to close out on him, and, as a result, Sheppard was much more willing to defer to his teammates. In and of itself, this is not a bad thing, but it is clear that, as far as his understanding of his role goes, Sheppard still has some development to do before he can take on a starting role.

These are high expectations to set for a second-year guard, and, if Sheppard simply remains a dynamic scorer off the bench for the duration of the season, the rapid rate at which he has developed would be remarkable nonetheless.

However, the best version of this team needs Sheppard's perimeter shooting in the starting lineup, allowing Thompson to shift back to a more natural position, and his performance in his first start of the season was not necessarily encouraging on that front.