Feb 2, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks forward Kessler Edwards (20) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Facing the Dallas Mavericks less than 24 hours their franchise was turned upside down by a stunning Luka Doncic trade served as a perfect storm for the Cleveland Cavaliers to make history on Sunday.
During a 144-101 win over the Mavs Cleveland set multiple records, including a new high for points in any single quarter (50) and points in a half (91). With both those marks coming in the first half of play, the game was largely over before it started.
That didn’t stop the Cavaliers from hunting more records though, adding a new franchise high for three pointers with 26 in a game as well. Nine of those came from sharpshooter Sam Merrill, who became the fourth player in franchise history to knock down a Cavs record nine threes in a game. Where Merrill stands alone though is being the first player to do it off the bench.
For Merrill, who has struggled to find his shot of late, it was just what the doctor ordered.
“It’s nice, obviously,” Merrill said of the accomplishment after the game. “Feels good to have a good shooting game like that. But it’s just one game. It’s all about getting into a rhythm. I feel like there’s been mutliple times this year where I feel like I’m starting to get in a rhythm and then I get hurt or, last game I got sick or whatever, a couple games ago. … So just one game. It was fun but, we’ll move onto the next one.”
Merrill entered the night shooting just 32.8% from the floor and 26% from deep since the start of the new year. It didn’t help wrist and ankle injuries that kept him out of action for a series of games at the start of the new year. As the calendar flipped to February though, he got the new month started with a bang.
In the moment Merrill was so dialed in he didn’t quite realize he was close to the record. His Cavaliers teammates, however made sure he understood what was a t stake when he knocked down his final three of the afternoon with 1:49 to go in the game. It was the perfect punctuation to a dominant effort from the Wine and Gold.
“There was definitely encouragement. I didn’t know for sure why everyone was yelling but I figured that was why. So yeah, I came off that one screen and just decided to fire it, it went in so that was fun.”
Things will be more fun for Merrill if he can turn the historic performance into a hot streak.
