HOUSTON — In the opener of a brief two-game homestand at Toyota Center, the Rockets took care of business and clinched a berth in the 2025 NBA playoffs with Wednesday’s 143-105 blowout victory (box score) over the short-handed Utah Jazz.
For Houston (50-27, No. 2 in Western Conference standings), Wednesday’s victory also clinched the Southwest Division title. It’s the first time since 2020 that the Rockets have been to the playoffs or won their division.
The last-place Jazz (16-60) held out numerous players due to injury or maintenance considerations as their 2024-25 season winds down, while the Rockets played most of their regulars (Fred VanVleet, with ankle/knee injuries, was the lone exception) as they jockey for playoff seeding. With that in mind, the lopsided final wasn’t a huge surprise.
However, one unexpected source of optimism was recently activated rookie guard Reed Sheppard. After missing nearly a month in March with a right thumb fracture, the No. 3 overall draft pick from the 2024 first round had 15 points in under 9 minutes, including a career-high five made 3-pointers in seven attempts (71.4%).
Reed Sheppard goes crazy in the fourth quarter, hitting five triples. Houston fans were actually chanting “REEEEED”. The highlights: pic.twitter.com/e7DGTrjlBJ
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) April 3, 2025
The performance was electric enough that fans who remained to celebrate the division title were chanting “Reed!” during the game’s closing stages, and Sheppard was just the fourth player in NBA history to have 15+ points with at least five 3-pointers in under 10 minutes played.
“It’s good to make shots, always,” head coach Ime Udoka said postgame. “You go to the G League and do what he did down there (earlier this season), and then the game in Oklahoma City (25 points on March 3)… all these are benchmarks for a young guy.
“To come in, I think he hit four 3s against Chicago (in November), all these are things to build off of,” Udoka continued. “All those minutes, no matter the score… any time you get in, those are valuable for a young guy. You want them to take advantage, and take those situations seriously. So, it’s good to see him knock them down, and it’s something to springboard him going forward.”
Reed Sheppard is the 4th player in NBA history to have 15+ PTS & 5+ 3PM in under 10 MIN played. pic.twitter.com/gHrsGcSZ2C
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) April 3, 2025
Other statistical standouts included:
- Jalen Green: 22 points, 4 rebounds in 28 minutes; 7-of-15 shooting (46.7%), 4-of-7 on 3-pointers (57.1%)
- Dillon Brooks: 21 points, 2 rebounds in 28 minutes; 9-of-16 shooting (56.3%), 3-of-8 on 3-pointers (37.5%)
- Tari Eason: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks in 24 minutes; 7-of-8 shooting (87.5%)
- Alperen Sengun: 15 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists in 29 minutes; 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%)
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 15 points, 14 rebounds in 27 minutes; 6-of-16 shooting (37.5%)
- Cam Whitmore: 11 points, 3 assists in 12 minutes; 4-of-6 shooting (66.7%), 1-of-2 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
- Isaiah Collier (Jazz): 22 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds in 32 minutes; 7-of-11 shooting (63.6%), 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%), 6-of-8 on free throws (75.0%)
Brooks did pick up a technical foul early in Wednesday’s game. Unless one of Brooks’ recent technicals is rescinded by the league office, Brooks will be suspended (based on cumulative technical fouls for the season) for Houston’s next game on Friday versus Oklahoma City.
April 2 Rockets-Jazz Complete Highlights
April 2 Postgame Reaction and Interviews
Steven Adams is dealing with wrist soreness. He was available to play tonight, Ime Udoka said, but the Rockets were fine to get by without him.
The Rockets should find out tomorrow if Dillon Brooks’ 16th tech gets rescinded and if he’s available to play Friday vs. OKC.
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) April 3, 2025
Pretty remarkable, really, to consider the likelihood when the Rockets opted in January, 2021 to tear it down and rebuild that they would have a 50-something win season in 2024-25. Few (anyone?) would have predicted before this season that they would be second in west in April. https://t.co/Zhe69HVS8t
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 3, 2025
5️⃣0️⃣ WINS.
Your Houston Rockets are the NBA’s Southwest Division Champs!#Rockets | #Liftoffpic.twitter.com/ll4wKitpgX
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
Jalen Green on Ime Udoka, after the Rockets clinched their first playoff berth of his career:
“We had the talent, but he was the head of the snake. Coming in and bringing the dog out of us, and bringing that culture to us, and getting guys to play hard.”
“That first year (last…
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) April 3, 2025
WE ARE SO BACK.
For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the playoffs are returning to Houston!#Rockets | #Liftoffpic.twitter.com/1rq3NCEpBJ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
Playoff tickets on-sale TOMORROW 👀
To celebrate our return to the playoffs, we will be releasing a limited number of tickets for the first two home games of the first round!
On sale tomorrow, April 3rd at 10:00 AM. Be ready!
#Rockets | #Liftoffpic.twitter.com/BakOk8H6H4— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
4 years together. Headed to the playoffs for the very first time.
On this journey together 🤝@alperennsengun | @JalenGreenpic.twitter.com/SLBnYygGkN
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
What’s Next
With a matchup against the last-place Jazz in the books, Houston now goes to the other extreme with a game Friday versus the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder (63-12).
Tipoff of that game, which concludes a brief two-game homestand at Toyota Center, is at 7:00 p.m. Central. Houston is 27-11 at home this season.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ‘Springboard’: In Houston’s playoff clincher, Reed Sheppard breaks out
HOUSTON — In the opener of a brief two-game homestand at Toyota Center, the Rockets took care of business and clinched a berth in the 2025 NBA playoffs with Wednesday’s 143-105 blowout victory (box score) over the short-handed Utah Jazz.
For Houston (50-27, No. 2 in Western Conference standings), Wednesday’s victory also clinched the Southwest Division title. It’s the first time since 2020 that the Rockets have been to the playoffs or won their division.
The last-place Jazz (16-60) held out numerous players due to injury or maintenance considerations as their 2024-25 season winds down, while the Rockets played most of their regulars (Fred VanVleet, with ankle/knee injuries, was the lone exception) as they jockey for playoff seeding. With that in mind, the lopsided final wasn’t a huge surprise.
However, one unexpected source of optimism was recently activated rookie guard Reed Sheppard. After missing nearly a month in March with a right thumb fracture, the No. 3 overall draft pick from the 2024 first round had 15 points in under 9 minutes, including a career-high five made 3-pointers in seven attempts (71.4%).
Reed Sheppard goes crazy in the fourth quarter, hitting five triples. Houston fans were actually chanting “REEEEED”. The highlights: pic.twitter.com/e7DGTrjlBJ
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) April 3, 2025
The performance was electric enough that fans who remained to celebrate the division title were chanting “Reed!” during the game’s closing stages, and Sheppard was just the fourth player in NBA history to have 15+ points with at least five 3-pointers in under 10 minutes played.
“It’s good to make shots, always,” head coach Ime Udoka said postgame. “You go to the G League and do what he did down there (earlier this season), and then the game in Oklahoma City (25 points on March 3)… all these are benchmarks for a young guy.
“To come in, I think he hit four 3s against Chicago (in November), all these are things to build off of,” Udoka continued. “All those minutes, no matter the score… any time you get in, those are valuable for a young guy. You want them to take advantage, and take those situations seriously. So, it’s good to see him knock them down, and it’s something to springboard him going forward.”
Reed Sheppard is the 4th player in NBA history to have 15+ PTS & 5+ 3PM in under 10 MIN played. pic.twitter.com/gHrsGcSZ2C
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) April 3, 2025
Other statistical standouts included:
- Jalen Green: 22 points, 4 rebounds in 28 minutes; 7-of-15 shooting (46.7%), 4-of-7 on 3-pointers (57.1%)
- Dillon Brooks: 21 points, 2 rebounds in 28 minutes; 9-of-16 shooting (56.3%), 3-of-8 on 3-pointers (37.5%)
- Tari Eason: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks in 24 minutes; 7-of-8 shooting (87.5%)
- Alperen Sengun: 15 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists in 29 minutes; 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%)
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 15 points, 14 rebounds in 27 minutes; 6-of-16 shooting (37.5%)
- Cam Whitmore: 11 points, 3 assists in 12 minutes; 4-of-6 shooting (66.7%), 1-of-2 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
- Isaiah Collier (Jazz): 22 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds in 32 minutes; 7-of-11 shooting (63.6%), 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%), 6-of-8 on free throws (75.0%)
Brooks did pick up a technical foul early in Wednesday’s game. Unless one of Brooks’ recent technicals is rescinded by the league office, Brooks will be suspended (based on cumulative technical fouls for the season) for Houston’s next game on Friday versus Oklahoma City.
April 2 Rockets-Jazz Complete Highlights
April 2 Postgame Reaction and Interviews
Steven Adams is dealing with wrist soreness. He was available to play tonight, Ime Udoka said, but the Rockets were fine to get by without him.
The Rockets should find out tomorrow if Dillon Brooks’ 16th tech gets rescinded and if he’s available to play Friday vs. OKC.
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) April 3, 2025
Pretty remarkable, really, to consider the likelihood when the Rockets opted in January, 2021 to tear it down and rebuild that they would have a 50-something win season in 2024-25. Few (anyone?) would have predicted before this season that they would be second in west in April. https://t.co/Zhe69HVS8t
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 3, 2025
5️⃣0️⃣ WINS.
Your Houston Rockets are the NBA’s Southwest Division Champs!#Rockets | #Liftoffpic.twitter.com/ll4wKitpgX
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
Jalen Green on Ime Udoka, after the Rockets clinched their first playoff berth of his career:
“We had the talent, but he was the head of the snake. Coming in and bringing the dog out of us, and bringing that culture to us, and getting guys to play hard.”
“That first year (last…
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) April 3, 2025
WE ARE SO BACK.
For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the playoffs are returning to Houston!#Rockets | #Liftoffpic.twitter.com/1rq3NCEpBJ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
Playoff tickets on-sale TOMORROW 👀
To celebrate our return to the playoffs, we will be releasing a limited number of tickets for the first two home games of the first round!
On sale tomorrow, April 3rd at 10:00 AM. Be ready!
#Rockets | #Liftoffpic.twitter.com/BakOk8H6H4— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
4 years together. Headed to the playoffs for the very first time.
On this journey together 🤝@alperennsengun | @JalenGreenpic.twitter.com/SLBnYygGkN
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2025
What’s Next
With a matchup against the last-place Jazz in the books, Houston now goes to the other extreme with a game Friday versus the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder (63-12).
Tipoff of that game, which concludes a brief two-game homestand at Toyota Center, is at 7:00 p.m. Central. Houston is 27-11 at home this season.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ‘Springboard’: In Houston’s playoff clincher, Reed Sheppard breaks out
