HOUSTON -- Although Toyota Center did not have a sold-out crowd for its home preseason opener versus the New Orleans Pelicans, it sounded like a playoff game during the second quarter when rookie guard Reed Sheppard showed why the Rockets made him the No. 3 overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft.

With his mother, Stacey, in attendance, Sheppard quickly displayed his offensive and defensive talent in a span of less than three game minutes. The rookie out of Kentucky hit a 15-foot midrange jump shot, a 3-pointer, and had a steal that resulted in a breakaway two-hand dunk — which brought the home crowd and his teammates to their feet.

“I thought it was fire,” said Rockets guard Jalen Green about Sheppard’s dunk. “It looks like he got up there a little bit.”

Sheppard, 20, played 21 minutes in the Rockets’ 118-98 blowout of the Pelicans and finished the game with 9 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

“It was good to get out and play in the first home game with the guys,” Sheppard said in his postgame press conference. “All around, it was a good game.”

Head coach Ime Udoka had said pregame that he would mix and match lineups to see what would and would not work later in the season. That is why it was no surprise when Sheppard and point guard Fred VanVleet were on the court together for a small portion of the game.

“We just wanted to see them for a few minutes,” Udoka said. “We wanted to see both of them play on and off the ball. They are very similar in a lot of ways, and they complement each other. So, we just wanted a quick look at them, and it looked like I thought it would.”

“I think he’s one of our better decision makers, passers, readers in the pick-and-rolls, and in setting the table in the offense,” VanVleet said of Sheppard. “Obviously, he can space the floor. And for a rookie, he’s pretty far advanced in terms of just knowing the game and having a feel for it.”

With Tuesday's win, Houston is now 2-1 in exhibition play. Their 2024-25 preseason finale comes Thursday at home versus San Antonio, with tipoff from Toyota Center scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central.

More: In NBA home debut, Reed Sheppard sparks Rockets in preseason win over Pelicans

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ‘I thought it was fire’: Reed Sheppard wows Rockets, fans in exhibition