Cleveland Oh. – Sam Merrill has been through it all in the last couple of years. Last year he was on the Charge for most of the year, putting up really good numbers. Then in the summer league, he helped the Cavs win the Summer League Championship. All to come into the season and get spotty playing time. But through it all, Merrill stayed professional, and stayed ready. His number was called tonight, and he delivered a career high, 19 points and a dagger 3, as the Cavs beat the Houston Rockets 135 – 130 in OT.
we'll just leave this here. ✨@smerrill05 | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/WSIUqFW4fs
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 19, 2023
Coach JB said he saw “Guts, Grit, and Professionalism. …For him to just be ready and stay ready, just shows a lot about who he is.” With the Cavs needing a spark due to all the injuries they have sustained; Sam Merrill was able to provide just that. It’s rare that a 19-point performance can overshadow a 37-point performance from Donavan Mitchell, but in a way, we have come to expect that from Mitchell. Yes, Mitchell scored 29 points in the second half, but it was Merrill who hit the dagger 3 in OT off a Mitchell pass to put the game away. Mitchell said after the game, “That’s who Sam is. He does this in practice all the time.” The Cavs needed Sam tonight. The Rockets came in and were looking to take advantage of the shorthanded Cavs. Instead of putting all the scoring onus on Mitchell, the Cavs used a group effort and had eight players in double figures. They moved the ball to the tune of 29 assist. And they overcame foul trouble from Allen with a small ball lineup that worked well tonight.
Photo via Cleveland Cavaliers
Look, bottom line is while Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley are out, the Cavs will need contributions from everyone. Mitchell is the unquestioned leader, and he showed that playing all second half, and most of OT because, “We need to start winning games.” But the guys seem to be banding together. The Cavs still have their goals. They still want to be an elite team. To do so, the Cavs need the guys who may not be a part of the regular rotation to step up and have nights like tonight. Sam Merrill had himself a night. And the guys showed him love. They will need to continue to play together, and put together some wins in the coming weeks, and games as they go through these games without two of their starters. They are 2-0 since the news of the injuries hit and won both games with different people stepping up. They will need to find the hot hand again Wednesday as they take on the Jazz at home. but if the last two games are an indication, they should be just fine!
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