Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Catches fire from downtown
Rotowire
Merrill closed Monday's 118-106 win over Milwaukee with 20 points (7-10 FG, 6-9 3Pt), five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes.
Merrill's night was briefly interrupted by a hand injury suffered on one of the first possessions of the game, but he made a quick trip to the locker room before starting the second quarter. Milwaukee was unable to slow him down, as Merrill tied his season high in made triples while also setting a season best in rebounds. The Vanderbilt product has seen a noticeable uptick in opportunity with Darius Garland sidelined due to a toe injury, now averaging 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 3.0 made threes in four consecutive starts.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Returns vs. Milwaukee
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Merrill (hand) started the second quarter of Monday's game against the Bucks, per the broadcast.
Merrill headed back to the locker room after checking out of Monday's contest with 5:50 remaining in the opening quarter. However, he quickly returned to the bench before starting the second quarter and should be good to go for the remainder of the game.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Exits to locker room Monday
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Merrill exited to the locker room after sustaining an apparent right hand injury in the first quarter of Monday's game against the Bucks, Spencer Davies of SI.com reports.
Merrill appeared to hurt his hand early in the contest, though he stayed in the game before eventually heading back to the locker room with 5:50 remaining in the opening quarter. If the sharpshooter is unable to return, Craig Porter and Tyrese Proctor are candidates for increased minutes the rest of the way.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Serviceable performance Saturday
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Merrill logged 13 points (5-9 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 27 minutes during Saturday's 108-100 win over the Grizzlies.
Merrill remained in the starting lineup for a third consecutive game, scoring double digits for the third time in the past four games. Even though Darius Garland continues to miss time due to a toe injury, Merrill has been unable to make the most of a favorable situation. At best, he should be viewed as a streaming option for anyone needing points and threes.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Starting vs. Miami
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Merrill will start Wednesday's game against the Heat.
With Donovan Mitchell (rest) sidelined, Merrill will get the starting nod at shooting guard. Over four starts this season, the sharpshooter has averaged 17.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 51.4 percent from three-point range in 25.5 minutes per contest.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Available Wednesday
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Merrill (hip) has been cleared to play in Wednesday's game against the 76ers, Spencer Davies of SI.com reports.
After missing the last three games due to a hip issue, Merrill is ready to get back on the floor. In four games played this season, he is averaging 17.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 51.4 percent from beyond the arc.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Iffy for Wednesday
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Merrill (hip) is questionable to play in Wednesday's game against the 76ers.
Merrill has missed three consecutive games due to a hip issue. If he remains out, the team will likely turn to Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter to pick up the slack.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Remaining out vs. Atlanta
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Merrill (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Hawks, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merrill will miss his third consecutive contest due to a right hip contusion. The sharpshooter's next opportunity to suit up will come Wednesday against the 76ers. With Merrill sidelined, Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter are candidates for an uptick in playing time.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Questionable for Sunday
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Merrill (hip) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Hawks, Evan Dammarell of DownEuclid.com reports.
Merrill is in jeopardy of missing his third consecutive game due to a right hip contusion, and he's likely to be a game-time decision ahead of Sunday's tipoff at 6:00 p.m. ET. If the sharpshooter is ultimately ruled out, Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter are candidates for increased playing time.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Out with hip contusion
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Merrill is out for Friday's game against the Raptors with a right hip contusion.
After exiting Monday's game against the Pistons early, Merrill will need to miss a second contest in a row due to the injury. The sharpshooter's next chance to take the court comes Sunday against the Hawks. With Darius Garland (toe) still not ready for his season debut, the Cavaliers could turn to Jaylon Tyson for another spot start after he joined the first unit Wednesday against Boston.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Exits to locker room Monday
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Merrill (undisclosed) exited to the locker room in the third quarter of Monday's game against the Pistons, Danny Cunningham of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Merrill checked out of Monday's contest with 6:36 remaining in the third. If he's unable to return, Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter are candidates for increased minutes the rest of the way.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Stays hot in win
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Merrill registered 17 points (5-11 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 3-3 FT), three rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes during Sunday's 118-113 victory over the Bucks.
Merrill's hot start to the season continued Sunday as the Cavaliers improved to 2-1 to open the campaign. He's looking like a bargain after signing a four-year, $38 million deal at the beginning of the offseason. Through three games, the sharpshooter is averaging 19.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 5.0 three-pointers on 51.5 percent shooting from the field.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Catches fire from deep
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Merrill racked up 22 points (6-11 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), one rebound, five assists, one block and one steal across 26 minutes during Friday's 131-124 win over Brooklyn.
Merrill has been dominant from beyond the arc in his first two appearances of the 2025-26 campaign, drilling 11 total threes over this brief stretch. He ended the night tied for second in scoring behind Donovan Mitchell's 35-point performance and also managed to make an impact on the opposite end of the court. Merrill has proven that he's more than capable of filling in while the Cavs deal with injuries to De'Andre Hunter (knee), Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot).
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Drops 10 points in win
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Merrill closed with 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-5 3Pt), one rebound, one assist and one steal in 20 minutes during Tuesday's preseason win over the Pistons.
Merrill made his preseason debut, sliding straight into the starting lineup. With both Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) sidelined to begin the season, Merrill will likely be tasked with more responsibility on the offensive end of the floor. Look for him to play a meaningful role off the bench, at least until Garland and Strus are cleared to return.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Good to go Tuesday
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Merrill is available and starting in Tuesday's preseason game against the Pistons.
Merrill will suit up in Cleveland's preseason finale after missing the team's first three exhibition games. The sharpshooter is expected to take on an increased role to begin the regular season due to Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) being sidelined.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Does not play Sunday
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Merrill (undisclosed) did not play during Sunday's 138-107 preseason loss to the Celtics.
Merrill missed another preseason contest due to a minor injury. His next chance to suit up comes Tuesday against the Pistons.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Absent again Thursday
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Merrill (undisclosed) didn't play in Thursday's 119-112 preseason loss against the Bulls.
Merrill hasn't yet been able to take the court this preseason due to a minor injury. He can continue to be considered day-to-day leading up to Sunday's exhibition in Boston.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Won't play Tuesday
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Merrill (undisclosed) won't play in Tuesday's preseason game against the Bulls, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merrill is dealing with a "minor injury" and won't suit up in Cleveland's preseason opener. His next opportunity to play will come in Thursday's rematch against Chicago. Tyrese Proctor, Luke Travers and Killian Hayes are candidates for increased minutes with Merrill sidelined.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Late scratch Tuesday
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Merrill (neck) has been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Pacers, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merrill was a late addition to the injury report and will miss Game 5 due to a neck strain. The 28-year-old had played in all eight of Cleveland's playoff games prior to this, making three starts and averaging 5.8 points on 37.5 percent shooting. Merrill's absence puts a greater emphasis on Ty Jerome, De'Andre Hunter and Isaac Okoro to produce off the bench.
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Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Lands three triples in spot start
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Merrill recorded nine points (3-7 FG, 3-7 3Pt), one rebound, one assist and one steal in 19 minutes during Monday's 138-83 victory over the Heat in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Merrill started for the second straight game, replacing Darius Garland, who was once again ruled out due to a toe injury. Although Merrill landed a trio of three-pointers, he was barely required as the Cavaliers embarrassed the Heat on their home court. The win wraps up the series for Cleveland, providing an opportunity to rest before facing either the Pacers or the Bucks in the next round.
