Reed Sheppard Talks Crucial Turnover in Rockets' Loss to Lakers in Video, 'There's Never an Excuse'

The Houston Rockets had the ball and a 101-95 lead with 30 seconds left in regulation during Game 3 of their first round playoff series on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers, but L.A. stormed back thanks to a pair of turnovers to force overtime before winning 112-108.

Lakers-Rockets Highlights

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The second turnover occurred after LeBron James slapped the ball away from Reed Sheppard, eventually leading to James' game-tying three.

After the game, Sheppard took full responsibility for the turnover and didn't make any excuses during his postgame press conference.

Sheppard, a second-year pro, has been a key part of the 52-win Rockets' season, averaging 13.5 points per game on 43.0 percent shooting (39.4 percent from three). The 21-year-old, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, has a bright future in the league.

Unfortunately, it's been a tough postseason for Sheppard, who has shot just 26.7 percent from the field (6-of-21 in Game 3 en route to 17 points) and committed nine turnovers, including five on Friday. He did make plays on the defensive end (three steals, two blocks) in his 46 minutes of action.

Of course, the Rockets' defeat goes much further than one turnover. The Rockets shot just 28 percent from three and committed 17 turnovers. Houston also had its chances in overtime but scored just seven points in the extra frame.

In the end, Houston fell short and now trails the Lakers three games to none in the best-of-seven series. The Rockets will look to hold off elimination at home on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET.