Rockets have painfully obvious Reed Sheppard move to make following win vs. Clippers

The Houston Rockets, returning to action after a lengthy break due to their elimination from NBA Cup play, came away with a narrow win against the Los Angeles Clippers although they showed some of the offensive stagnancy that plagued them at times in their most recent stretch of games.

Yet, as a result of these struggles, one vital truth concerning second-year guard Reed Sheppard revealed itself. Against an aging Clippers team, Sheppard (and, to a lesser extent, Aaron Holiday) were the key to Houston closing out the game, amping up the pace and forcing their opponent into disadvantageous defensive situations.

The Rockets this season are among the slowest teams in the NBA (they were 27th in pace heading into play tonight), and, although this works well to get Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun their most efficient looks, perhaps that means it is time to give Sheppard some more extensive run in both the starting and the closing lineups.

Reed Sheppard could be the key to the Rockets pushing the pace when it becomes necessary

The Rockets' offensive identity, through the first quarter of the season, has been almost wholly based around isolation possessions for Durant and Sengun coupled with second-chance points off of offensive rebounds.

Don't get it wrong, it has worked excellently to this point, but, as teams begin to figure out how to best defend this system, Houston will need another look to go to.

The team's past two losses put this fact on full display. Although their defeats at the hands of both the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks were a direct result of the absences they were facing, the team also showed a lack of movement on offense in both of those games that was troubling, to say the least.

For a stretch, especially in the second quarter, it looked as though the Rockets might have been set to face those same issues tonight. Yet, they ultimately prevailed, and Sheppard's presence was a major factor in the game's ultimate outcome.

It might seem strange, or even untimely, to make this argument following a game in which Sheppard's impact on the box score was limited. On the night, he posted 10 points, four rebounds and two assists while shooting 4-of-9 from the floor.

Yet, his presence on the court, and his ability to bring the ball down the floor in a hurry, helps the Rockets to get into their half-court actions much quicker. Against teams like the Clippers, this can be the key to wearing down opposing defenses, creating mismatches and advantages just through the pure speed and unpredictability of the offense.

To this point in the season, Sheppard and Steven Adams have often been brought into the game together to allow the team to run a zone that can account for Sheppard's defensive limitations. However, it might be time to give Sheppard opportunities in different offensive looks, even when everyone is healthy, in order to see what a faster, more chaotic version of this team might look like.