Why Cavs Knew Sam Merrill Was Destined For Big Moment

Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus raved over Sam Merrill after his career night with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, but they weren't surprised by it.

If it wasn't obvious during the game, the Cleveland Cavaliers' adoration for Sam Merrill loudly came through with their words after his career-high 19-point night and the wine-and-gold's overtime win vs. the Houston Rockets.

Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff called it "guts, grit and professionalism." Merrill reiterated belief in himself, admitting a certain comfort in knowing when he will play.

But when proven guys like Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus are backing his efforts behind the scenes, that says something. Both pointed out Merrill's terrific preseason and training camp as an indicator of his ability to break out at any time.

"Sam is Mr. Consistency. Sam comes in every day, shoots every day, does his job. Ultimate professional," Strus said. "One of the hardest-working guys I've been around. Just sticks to the script. When his number's called, he's gonna be ready. 

"You've got to have guys like that on your bench, and Sam can help us win games at a very high level. I've been waiting for that 'cause I know he's capable of it. So hopefully we see more of Sam Merrill... His ability to shoot the ball is second to none, and he does a very good job defensively too, staying in front of his man, helping and being in the right spots. He can really help this team win."

While Mitchell sees Merrill's capabilities through his habits in Cleveland as a teammate, he's had respect for him for years.

"I wish y'all were at practice. Sometimes it's hard for the red team to get a stop 'cause he's on the floor. This is what he does. This is who he is," Mitchell said. "I've known Sam since he was at Utah State. I was in Utah, so we've played pickup with him when I was playing in Utah and played against him, me and Georges [Niang]. So I've known him for a little bit and this is what he does. He puts in a tremendous amount of work. 

"I don't know if he'll like me saying this, but he's like cursing himself out because he's missing one and two in a row. He's that detailed and that focused on his craft. And to see him have a night like this, especially when we needed it too, is great. And he's that guy and he's going to continue to be that guy for us. But the biggest thing is just when hard work meets opportunity, man. It's just a beautiful thing to see for a guy like him. And he's going to keep doing this. This is who he is."

Dec 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and guard Sam Merrill (5) celebrate in overtime against the Houston Rockets at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

With the Cavs banged up and minutes up for grabs, Merrill made a good case for himself on Monday.

"I've got all the confidence in the world, but there's a certain comfort that comes from playing more and more and get an idea of what I can do and cannot get away with at this level," Merrill said. "So I think [Monday] was just another step forward for me and hopefully I can continue to just get better and continue to make steps."

"I guess we'll see [how Monday helps Merrill moving forward]. Hopefully we continue to have Sam in the lineup and help us win games," Strus added. "You don't see a lot of guys that can do what Sam does in this league. It's a special talent, it's a special skill. It's hard to guard, and he's a great basketball player."