Sam Merrill does it again, scores 27 to lead short-handed Cavs past Jazz

CLEVELAND — When Sam Merrill was growing up in Utah, playing in the NBA was nothing but a pipe dream. Now, with the way he can shoot the ball, he could be facing a long, prosperous career. Merrill came off the bench to score a game- and career-high 27 points Wednesday to power the Cavaliers to a 124-116 victory over the Utah Jazz at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It was the second consecutive game he's shattered his career high. Merrill's 8-for-14 effort fueled Cleveland's 23-for-51 onslaught from behind the 3-point line. That long-distance shootout was needed with the Cavs' top three scorers out of the lineup. Guard Donovan Mitchell (illness) was a game-time decision, while point guard Darius Garland (fractured jaw) and power forward Evan Mobley (knee surgery) will be sidelined for at least a month. Meanwhile, Merrill continues shooting at a torrid pace from behind the arc. He's becoming a Cleveland cult hero by shooting .542 from distance in his last two games (13-of-24). Merrill said he met with Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff before the Denver game on Nov. 19 and inquired about his lack of playing time. "J.B. reiterated his trust in me (in the meeting)," Merrill said. "J.B. did a great job of communicating. It's always been a fight for me to show I can do more than just shoot." The Cavs (16-12), who have now won three in a row, also got 23 points and seven assists from Caris LeVert, 18 points from Max Strus and 17 points and eight rebounds from Jarrett Allen. "Our backs were against the wall," Bickerstaff said. "The only way for us to come out on top was to play together." The Cavs dished out a season-high 34 assists on 45 baskets. "That's big time," Bickerstaff said. "Everyone that played had an assist." Rookie Craig Porter Jr. started at point guard and had an interesting stat line with six points, seven rebounds, six assists and a game-high three blocks. "He plays bigger than his size," Bickerstaff said. "He rebounds the ball in traffic. He has the uncanny ability to find the ball. (His three blocks) are extremely unique and something you don't see often." The Jazz (10-18, 2-11 on road) held a 93-92 lead after three quarters. Two 3-pointers by Merrill fueled an 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter, which left Utah in the Cavs' dust. Merrill said he grew up a huge Jazz fan as a kid. "To have a game against them like this is very special," he said. "We all work too hard not to enjoy games like this. "We don't have a super rich history (of producing NBA players in Utah). I want to take it upon myself to change that." Former Cavs forward Lauri Markkanen paced the Jazz with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while ex-Cavs guard Collin Sexton had 20 points. Familiar faces The Jazz have ex-Cavs players Sexton, Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and Jordan Clarkson, who is out with a hamstring injury, in their rotation. "We know their tendencies," Bickerstaff said, "We have a good understanding of their strengths and weaknesses." Sexton and Agbaji were first-round picks of the Cavs. "Collin is awesome," Bickerstaff said. "Talk about being dedicated to his craft. He has the uncanny ability to put the ball in the basket at a high clip. He was here during the roughest of times." Sexton wasn't much of a 3-point shooter when he arrived from Alabama but left shooting close to .400. Markkanen became an All-Star with Utah after leaving Cleveland in the Mitchell trade. "He was a big part of us taking the next step," Bickerstaff said. "He allowed us to change the game." The Cavs played three 7-footers in their starting lineup. "We'd put (Markkanen) on point guards so we could switch," the coach said. "It made us tough to deal with." Bench brigade The Cavs have been getting good minutes from their bench. Backup center Tristan Thompson is the leader of the bunch. "The most important thing is my trust in him," Bickerstaff said. "He's able to hold people accountable." The coach said Thompson's play is often ugly. But he gets the job done. He was big against Utah with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and a game-high four steals. "If he's doing it, there's no reason why others can't do it," Bickerstaff said. Dean the dream Cavs forward Dean Wade certainly has a fan in Bickerstaff, who loves his versatility. "He has the ability to do so many things," he said. "People think he's smaller than he is. He's a legit 6-9, 6-10. "He does things only guards do well. He has great feet. He knows how to keep people in front of him." Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.