'Guts, Grit, Professionalism': Sam Merrill Gives Cavaliers Much-Needed Spark
It's all hands on deck for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
J.B. Bickerstaff made sure to emphasize the only way they'll be able to tread water while Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are absent is by doing it together.
That message has certainly resonated with one Cavaliers player.
Sam Merrill had trouble cracking the rotation all season but is now being called upon to play a crucial role off the bench.
Merrill finished with a career-high 19 points while shooting 50% (5-10) from behind the arc against the Houston Rockets on Monday night. He even started for the Cavs during overtime and gave the team the spark they needed to outlast the Rockets.
This strong stretch of play dates back to before Cleveland lost their two stars. He's made at least two threes in five of his last six appearances which has given him the name "Mr. Consistency" by Max Strus.
Bickerstaff used three words to describe Merrill's performance on Monday night: Guts, grit, professionalism.
"He's just a guy who always puts himself in a position that if his number is called he's ready to go," said the Cavaliers head coach. "For him to just be ready and stay ready, it just speaks a lot to his character and who he is."
A performance such as the one Merrill put on Monday may be just what the doctor ordered for Cleveland's morale as they navigate these numerous injuries.
The energy from the bench and the crowd, as Merrill clinched the game with a deep three in OT, could be felt throughout the building.
Then, there's the impact he made on the floor.
The Cavaliers will especially miss DG's shooting ability with him out of the lineup. While Merrill isn't going to replace that, he's certainly doing his best at keeping opposing defenses on their toes when he's on the floor.
Sam Merrill scores a career-high 19 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers win over the Houston Rockets.
Merrill has been waiting for a long time to get an opportunity such as this one making it that much more satisfying to see it come to fruition. He was a second-round pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2020 Draft. He then appeared in six games for the Memphis Grizzlies before signing with the Cavs
Bickerstaff is going to continue to call on Merrill to get minutes if he keeps this up.
