Reed Sheppard Hits 7 Threes

Reed Sheppard's offensive outburst came as he was making only his seventh start of the season for the Houston Rockets, stepping into the lineup in place of the injured Amen Thompson. His career-high seven three-pointers were a key part of the Rockets' most lopsided victory of the season, a 128-97 rout of the Sacramento Kings. The game also featured a significant triple-double from Houston's Alperen Sengun, who finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. For the Kings, the loss was compounded by an injury to starting forward Keegan Murray, who left in the first quarter with a left ankle injury. Cade Cunningham's impressive double-double, along with a matching 29 points from Jalen Duren, led the Detroit Pistons to a 124-116 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. This win came in a matchup of conference leaders, with the Pistons improving their home record to a dominant 22-7 at Little Caesars Arena. The Thunder were severely shorthanded in their loss to the Pistons, playing without their top six scorers, including MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Despite the absences, Jaylin Williams stepped up for OKC with a career-high 30 points. Cason Wallace's 23 points marked his third consecutive game scoring 20 or more. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors showcased their depth in a 133-112 road win against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors' balanced attack was on full display as eight of the nine players who saw action scored in double figures, with the ninth player scoring nine points. Both the Warriors and Grizzlies were navigating significant injuries. Golden State was playing without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, while Memphis was missing Ja Morant, among others, contributing to their 12th loss in 15 games.