Rockets to finish 2024 summer league schedule versus Portland on Sunday

Unlike 2023, when the Rockets won all four of their initial NBA summer-league games and advanced to the four-team semifinals, Houston (2-2) split its first four Las Vegas contests in 2024.

That means that Reed Sheppard and the 2024 summer Rockets are among the 26 teams effectively playing a consolation game this weekend as they wrap up the standard five-game summer slate.

Because the league did not know the four teams advancing to the semifinals until after each team’s first four games were complete, the NBA could not preemptively schedule each team’s fifth game.

But with four games in the books for each team across summer league, the league can proceed with its scheduling process.

With Sheppard in a starring role, Houston will wrap up its summer-league play on Sunday versus the Trail Blazers (2-2). Among rookies, it should be a showdown of Sheppard versus Portland center Donovan Clingan, drafted at No. 7 overall in the 2024 first round. Sheppard, of course, was drafted by the Rockets four picks earlier.

Sunday’s Rockets-Trail Blazers game is scheduled to tip off at 8:00 p.m. Central, and it will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.

As was the case Thursday versus Minnesota, Cam Whitmore is expected to sit out after playing the first three games. However, the remainder of Houston’s summer-league roster should be available.

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