Sam

Merrill

Usually, James Harden (nine points, five rebounds and six assists) shooting 2-of-10 from the field would spell doom for his team. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, with Merrill’s performance among the reasons why. Shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, Merrill was one of four Cavaliers to finish the 125-94 rout with at least 20 points. Max Strus (9/3/2/3 with one three-pointer) was the fifth starter on Sunday, replacing Dean Wade, but there’s room for Merrill to step up as well. Cleveland visits New York on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Merrill missed Game 2 with a hamstring injury, but is available for Game 3 on Saturday. The 29-year-old shooting guard was held scoreless in seven minutes off the bench in Game 1. Max Strus will remain the Cavaliers’ preferred wing option off the bench.

Merrill did not play in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat after logging seven minutes in the series opener. As a result, the Cavaliers essentially went with an eight-man rotation, with Keon Ellis logging six minutes as the ninth man. Regardless of Merrill’s status, Max Strus should log the majority of the bench minutes on the wing.

Merrill logged just seven minutes in the Game 1 loss and didn’t register a single point. Still, the Cavaliers’ depth takes a bit of a hit in regard to three-point shooting and overall scoring. In his absence, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, and Jaylon Tyson should see more minutes.

Merrill is dealing with a left hamstring strain while the rest of the Cavaliers’ roster is completely healthy. The 29-year-old shooting guard had no points in seven minutes in Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Pistons. His absence wouldn’t be considered a major loss for the Cavaliers if he’s ultimately ruled out.

It didn’t take much production for Merrill to conclude as one of Cleveland’s best offensive performers on Sunday. In 19 minutes, he provided his usual three-point shooting and was the only positive contributor off the bench in terms of plus-minus. Merill didn’t accumulate many other stats, leaving his three-point shooting as the primary value he brought in Game 4.

The Cavaliers are locked into their playoff seed, so most of the team’s key contributors will not play on Sunday. Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson aren’t on the injury report, but with both having missed time due to injury, their minutes will likely be limited against the Wizards.

Mitchell’s absence will leave the Cavaliers without their best scorer on Friday. In his absence, Keon Ellis or Max Strus could move into a starting role, creating more opportunities for them to produce. Sam Merrill is also a candidate to slot in as a replacement starter.

Merrill came off the bench and logged 27 minutes in the Cavaliers’ win over the Hawks on Wednesday, draining a pair of three-pointers along the way. However, he won’t be available for the rematch, which could allow Keon Ellis and Max Strus to take on a heavier workload.

Merrill got the starting nod in this game and while he started slow, he caught fire after the break. He scored 18 of his 21 points after halftime, including 13 in the third quarter, which helped the Cavs take control of this game. Merrill started with Max Strus (foot) sidelined, but he will likely come off the bench when the team is fully healthy. Merrill has had an excellent season for Cleveland, mostly as a starter, and he’ll continue to be an important piece for them entering the playoffs.