Reed Sheppard has quietly flipped the script on the Rockets’ fatal flaw

Following Fred VanVleet's devastating torn ACL injury shortly before the season began, everyone was questioning the Houston Rockets' point guard situation. The Rockets finished as the No. 2 seed last season and traded for Kevin Durant over the summer, so it was clear they had title aspirations. However, it was unclear how second-year point guard Reed Sheppard would respond to a bigger role after playing just 12.6 minutes per game and shooting 35.1 percent from the field last year.

Four games into the year, Sheppard was averaging just 10 points, 3.5 assists and, much like his rookie year, he was shooting an ugly 35 percent from the field. It was fair to have real concerns about Sheppard, and whether Houston would have enough creation to get where it wanted to go in the rugged West.

Thankfully for Rockets fans, though, Sheppard has found his groove over the past four games. During this stretch, the former No. 3 overall pick is averaging 16.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals while shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point range. Undoubtedly, this recent hot stretch changes things for the now 8-3 Rockets.

Reed Sheppard is the perfect point guard for the Rockets

Sheppard's skill set as a sharpshooter and connective playmaker was always intriguing. Regardless, it was a fair question whether he could provide positive minutes as a second-year player. Smaller guards typically take a while to transition into the NBA, and at 6-foot-2, Sheppard certainly fits this mold. And the first four games of the season did little to inspire confidence in him.

To Ime Udoka's credit, he stuck with Sheppard even though he could have turned to veteran guard Aaron Holiday, who played more than Sheppard last year. This trust has paid off in a massive way for the Rockets.

Udoka has stuck with a starting lineup that doesn't feature a traditional point guard: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alpern Şengün. Despite how awesome Sheppard has looked, I don't think he needs to start. Between Thompson, Durant and Şengün, there's plenty of creation and playmaking to go around. Nevertheless, Sheppard gives the Rockets a nice ball-handling and shooting presence off the bench.

For a Rockets team that ranked just 22nd in made 3s last season and has several ball-dominant players, Sheppard is the perfect kind of point guard. Impressively, Sheppard's 2.8 made 3s rank first on the team, and over the past four games, he is averaging 4.0 makes from deep. That latter mark would translate to the second-highest total in the league over the course of a full season season. He isn't just a band-aid to the Rockets' point guard problem; he's helping elevate a title contender.

In the modern NBA, positional playmaking and size are all the rage; the Rockets certainly have that. Nevertheless, you still need a point guard to eat up 20 to 30 minutes a game. Sheppard gives the Rockets that.

Sheppard is silencing concerns about his game

The biggest difference I've noticed with Sheppard from the start of the season to now is his ability to play within the offense. He's always been confident, but now he's figuring out how to balance looking for his own shot and playing within the flow. That's huge for he and the Rockets.

Is it still fair to be a little concerned about Houston's point guard room, and depending so much on a 21-year-old? Sure. Sheppard will undoubtedly be targeted on defense due to his size, and this could be problematic in playoff settings.

However, the Rockets have a top-10 defense, giving them the infrastructure to protect him. Sheppard is slight in frame, but he has great instincts and is a quality defensive playmaker. The Kentucky product is averaging 2.0 stocks this season and 3.3 in the past four games.

Per Databallr, he ranks in the 88th percentile or higher for steals, blocks and deflections per 100 possessions; in fact, he ranks in the 99th percentile for deflections. This allows Sheppard to make a positive defensive impact despite having legitimate size concerns.

Ultimately, Sheppard's recent play makes it easier to feel better about the Rockets' point guard room and their overall contention chances.