The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently in the middle of one of the most dominant stretches by any team in the NBA this season.
The 2016 NBA champions have established a phenomenal eight-game winning streak and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down ahead of the NBA All-Star weekend.
While the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen have dominated during the stretch, as expected from the two stars, the Cavaliers have found some unexpected help from their 27-year-old shooter, Sam Merrill.
A perfect example of Merrill’s knack for shooting from downtown was on display during the Cavaliers’ recent matchup against the Orlando Magic.
Merrill tied a sensational franchise record for scoring from deep off the bench, and NBA fans had various reactions to the accomplishment below a tweet by the Cavaliers’ official Twitter handle.
Tied Career-High 3PM. ✅
Tied Franchise Record for Most 3PM off of the bench. ✅
SAMMY BUCKETS. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/cgkIZ0sZ6u— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 23, 2024
Nice one
— Davido 💫 (@Ambidex2024) January 23, 2024
So to me, this is what the Cavs had been missing.
Until Sam, there were no Cavs in the NBA top 50 in 3P%.
A sharpshooter hitting those shots changes the whole game when you have dynamic players (Mitchell) and an inside game (Allen).
— Stef Fanski (@Oh__Cleveland) January 23, 2024
Build the statue!
— Artist Formerly Known As Whoopty-Hell (@FanoftheLand13) January 23, 2024
CASH MONEY MERRILL 👌 pic.twitter.com/lwyw2wTVRU
— RedEyez216 (@RedEyezLaflare) January 23, 2024
Merrill is currently having one of the best stretches of his career in terms of scoring.
After all, the 27-year-old guard has had four straight games scoring in double digits, including a 26-point performance against the Orlando Magic.
To be precise, Merrill had 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in the 126-99 win over the Magic.
Merrill was simply sensational from the field, as he went 8-of-13 and landed all the shots he attempted from beyond the three-point line.
Thanks to the phenomenal performance, Merrill has now tied the Cavaliers’ franchise record for making the most three-pointers off the bench.
For the season, Merrill is averaging 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Cavaliers, but these numbers certainly don’t do justice to his talent.
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