When Sam Merrill first arrived in Cleveland three seasons in the past, he was largely simply seen as a spot-up shooter and nothing extra. He couldn’t crack the rotation constantly due to his spotty protection and if opponents ran him off the line, his offensive effectiveness was zapped.
Merrill has labored laborious to enhance his recreation over the final two seasons and has thrived beneath Kenny Atkinson. It led to him receiving a four-year contract extension final summer time, exhibiting the workforce’s belief in him and the place his growth was heading.
Merrill rewarded that belief this season with a profession 12 months. He averaged 13 factors per recreation, three rebounds, and two assists, whereas pulling down 42 % of his threes on a career-high seven makes an attempt. While his capturing is clearly a big plus, there is one side of Merrill’s recreation that has made him one of the Cavs’ most necessary gamers.
Sam Merrill’s protection has been a secret weapon for Cleveland
Merrill has made it his mission to get stronger, so he may maintain up higher on the protection finish of the flooring. He confirmed huge enchancment on that finish final season, nevertheless it has continued into this 12 months as nicely.
Merrill’s defensive IQ has been nice for the Cavs. He is consistently in the proper spots and is aware of when to modify. He is a good chaser off screens and is good at assembly ball-handlers at the level of assault and walling up.
All of that was on show in the Game One win towards Toronto. Cleveland had a 111.1 defensive rating with Merrill on the court docket and an general +23.8 web score as nicely. He held up very nicely in switches towards Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes, making issues robust for them and permitting for the assist protection to return.
Merrill’s means to be constant on the defensive finish is a big reason why Atkinson trusts him. Because of that, he can play huge minutes subsequent to Harden and Mitchell as the de facto small ahead.
While he gained’t be the man that might be tasked with guarding the opposing workforce’s finest participant on a nightly foundation, he may be trusted to be in the proper spots, chase off screens, and maintain up in switches.
The good factor for Cleveland is that they’ve choices of their rotation. It is what makes their potential ceiling so excessive and we noticed it towards Toronto in Game One. Now, it simply has to proceed for the remainder of the collection, Merrill included.
Add us as a most popular supply on Google
