MILWAUKEE - Donovan Mitchell's game-winning pull-up jumper sealed a thrilling 114-113 victory over the Bucks, marking the Cavs' best start to a season since 1976-77. But behind Mitchell's heroics, it was Sam Merrill who sparked the team when they needed it most, helping to ignite Cleveland's offense at crucial moments.
Mitchell characterized Merrill as an "unsung hero" of the contest, but he's no longer just a shooter -- he's an active playmaker, willing to do the dirty work to keep Cleveland running on all cylinders.
Last season, when teams first started adding Sam Merril to their scouting reportsl, they mostly feared his shot. Merrill's lightning-fast release and deadly accuracy from deep could shift the momentum of the game in seconds. But if his shots weren't connecting, as nobody is perfect, his playing time often slipped away.
Under former coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Merrill's role was mostly binary: make shots or sit. Yet, with new head coach Kenny Atkinson, Merrill's game has expanded beyond three-point shooting while giving him a breath of fresh air that his minutes won't immediately decrease if his shots aren't going down.
To start the season, and again on Saturday night against the Bucks, the team that gave Merrill his NBA start and where he won a championship, witnessed his transformation up close -- making an impact in ways few anticipated.
The shooting acumen was on full display, which was never going to be the surprise, he had a season-high 17 points while shooting 6 of 10 from the field and 5 of 9 from deep.
But, more importantly, this year has been about how he's gone about his business. Merrill is setting screens, creating chaos, and even driving to the basket to open up the floor for his teammates.
"[Defenders] have to lock in on him," Atkinson noted. "You can see 'em, they're denying him. Any DHO (dribble handoff) to him, they're trying to blow it up.
"He's on the scouting report, he's on their board. We can't let him get any clean looks, and that takes a lot of energy, and it gives us space. I thought he did a great job. He got in the lane a couple of times and kicked it for 3s. So yeah, his gravity is huge for us."
During the 2023-24 regular season, Merrill led the Cavs with 2.3 shot attempts per game taken with a defender within 0-2 feet, considered very tight coverage by NBA.com, while being 10 or more feet from the rim, showcasing his confidence to shoot under pressure. He also had the second-highest frequency (89.3) on the Cavs for touch time of 0-2 seconds, behind only Dean Wade (90.1).
The 28-year-old can now put the ball on the floor, much like he did running point at Utah State during his college days, to create space and find the next option. Yet he no longer has to launch under duress to secure his role on the team. With Atkinson, it's about impact, not just points.
"We will put him in actions because he's really good at slipping out of stuff," Atkinson explained. "He'll just fly into a pick-and-roll, and he'll slip out or set it if he's got a weak defender.
"His IQ in terms of screening is huge, and then we'll be intentional where, hey, we want to run this play. Let's put Sam here and let's have him screen on the ball. So you'll continue to see that; he's really good at it."
But when his offense has dwindled, Merrill's defensive mindset has turned heads, another dimension of his game that often went unappreciated.
"I texted him the other night. I said, listen, your shooting's going to come. I'm not worried. You're in the rotation because you defend and you compete and you take charges and you're active," Atkinson said of Merrill ahead of the Cavs' matchup with the Magic on Friday. "Sometimes I think shooters, guys like Sam, get labeled just as a shooter. I look at him more as an overall player."
At 6-foot-4, and considered a smaller guard, Merrill has frequently heard comments about his ability to guard in the NBA. But he's continuously been out to prove that he's more than capable since entering the league.
"Most coaches I've ever played for after they see me play for a little bit, they're like, 'Wow, you actually can guard,'" Merrill told cleveland.com. "I take a lot of pride on that end. ... I've gotten stronger this summer to try and battle inside against some guys, and I try and fight through screens and all that stuff."
On Saturday, Merrill put his body on the line once again for the team's benefit, taking a charge to give the Cavs a much needed possession in a hard-fought game.
"The charge, the defensive effort, that's really what it is," Mitchell raved after the win. "We all know what he does on the offensive and what he does for us, but for him to be able to take the charge, what he does for us defensively, man. Being able to compete. Being able to stand his ground, get in there and rebound, push the pace and obviously offensively hit those big time 3s.
"But especially for him to come back here where he [played his rookie season], to be able to come back and do it here, I think it's always special for sure."
Even after being sidelined for the majority of preseason with a right wrist injury, Atkinson was confident about the impact that Merrill would have for the Cavs. Atkinson's profound belief beyond his value as a shooter has allowed Merrill to fully embrace his role, recognizing the freedom to maximize his potential on the court.
"Tonight, I didn't take a shot in my first run. Last year, I probably wouldn't have gone back in," Merrill reflected with cleveland.com after the Cavs' 120-109 win over the Magic on Friday, where he had six points going 2 of 3 from deep. "So, it's like, I'm not out there trying to force things as much. Just trying to let the game come to me.
"And yeah, sometimes I've got to be aggressive with my shot and that'll come as we get to know each other and the offense a little better. But it definitely gives me confidence that it's not just, 'Oh, did he make a couple threes?' It's, 'Okay, what am I doing as a screener, as a passer, and on the defensive end as well.' So it makes my life easier."
Merrill's ability to adapt and thrive in Atkinson's fluid system has made him an incomparable piece of Cleveland's evolving offense, especially with volume shooter Max Strus sidelined for at least the first 20 games of the season with an ankle sprain.
As he continues to expand his skillset, Merrill challenges the conventional image of a spot-up shooter. He's a versatile asset, pushing the Cavs to new heights with his basketball IQ, tenacity, and willingness to do the little things.
For opposing teams, Merrill is no longer an open secret. The scouting report on him is a little thicker now. With each contest, he's proving there's more to his game, forcing defenses to pick their poison and giving the Cavs another weapon in their push for Eastern Conference contention.