With 27 points and 4 assists, can the 21-year-old shooter of the Rockets enter the starting lineup? The top 5 lineups are unreliable and urgently need to change the lineup.

The Rockets lost to the Nuggets and fell directly from third place in the Western Conference to fifth place in the Western Conference. It can be said that the Rockets lost a game they should not have lost. In fact, in this game, the two teams kept the suspense until the last second. The Rockets hit two consecutive three-pointers in the last moment. Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. hit consecutive three-pointers to close the score gap to just one point. However, after Jokic made two free throws, Shen Jing missed a long-range three-point shot, and the Rockets ultimately lost.

It can only be said that there is still a gap between the strength of the Rockets and the Nuggets. Although the two teams appear to be of equal strength, the Rockets had many players absent in this game, which was one of the reasons why the Rockets lost. In the competition between star players, Jokic and Murray obviously beat Durant and Shen Jing of the Rockets. This has to be admitted.

However, the Rockets also had some highlights in this game. For example, in the second half, Jabari Smith Jr. scored 19 points and made 5 three-pointers in the game. Rockets substitute shooter Shepard is even more eye-catching. The 21-year-old Shepard is the youngest player for the Rockets in this game. He is also the youngest player in the Rockets' entire lineup. However, in this game he became the Rockets' best player on the court. In 37 minutes, he made 9 of 13 shots, 4 of 6 free throws, and 5 of 8 three-pointers. He scored 27 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals. His plus-minus value was also the second highest on the team. The Rockets' loss has nothing to do with Shepard. Without Shepard, the Rockets might have lost long ago.

Uduka still uses the so-called five lineups in this game: Amen Thompson and Durant partner in the backcourt, Smith Jr. and Shen Jing serve as forwards, and Adams is the inside center. This lineup actually has a very low winning rate this season. It only defeated the Cavaliers, and the win was particularly ugly. In this game, the Rockets refused to use a traditional lineup and did not let Okogie return to the starting lineup. In fact, judging from this game, Shepard can completely replace Okogie as the Rockets' starting shooting guard. The Rockets are also in urgent need of a change of formation.

This game once again proved the undesirability of the five major lineups. The top five lineups are obviously unqualified as starters. The reason why the five major lineups are able to gain a foothold is simply because they can unexpectedly win the game and make the opponent suddenly feel uncomfortable. If the five major lineups are used at the beginning of the game, then the opponent will be prepared, and the Rockets' five major lineups will have no effect at all. This is the case against the Nuggets.

The Rockets' big lineup may be miraculous against some weak teams, but it does not work well against the Nuggets with super center Jokic and tall center Valanciunas. Obviously Uduka is in urgent need of a change of formation. The next game will be against the Suns, and the next one will be against the Warriors. The Rockets can no longer start the five major lineups. This lineup is a bit unreliable.

If the traditional lineup is allowed to return to the starting lineup, then the 21-year-old shooter Sheppard can completely become the starting shooting guard to replace Okogie based on his performance and status in recent games. In the last five games, Sheppard averaged 17 points, 3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and two steals per game. Shepard, who is both offensive and defensive, is already one of the most reliable candidates for the Rockets' starting lineup.