Sam Merrill's career-high 32 points overshadow James Harden's homecourt debut in Cavs win over Wizards

CLEVELAND — Fans came out to celebrate "The Beard." However, Sam Merrill stole the show with his unbelievable long-range shooting. His career-high 32 points sparked the Cavaliers' 138-113 wire-to-wire victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday at Rocket Arena. Merrill converted 11-of-12 shots from the field, including 9-of-10 from the 3-point line. He had 17 points in the second quarter as Cleveland stormed to a 76-61 lead at halftime. "Money" Merrill made his first nine shots in the first half, including seven from behind the arc. His misfired on his first 3-point attempt of the second half with 8:09 remaining in the third quarter. "He's a sniper," newly acquired Cavs guard James Harden said of Merrill. "When someone gets it going like that, I'll get him the ball." Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said they ran the same play eight times to set up shots for Merrill, whose previous career high was 27 points. The sellout crowd was fired up watching Harden play his first game as a member of the Cavs, then got behind what Atkinson called Merrill's "shooting demonstration." "We kept finding him," the coach said. Merrill said he hasn't had that kind of feeling on the court in quite some time. "My shot felt good," he said. "It felt like (the defenders) weren't even there. "For me, it's always about making the best basketball play. I'm never going to force it — the pass or shot. That's never been in my DNA. You're only as good as your last shot. These things can change quickly." The Cavs (34-21) head into the All-Star break having won five in a row and 10 of their last 11. Since Dec. 29, they are 17-5 and have the best winning percentage in the NBA (.773). Cleveland's promotions team handed out fake beards to the fans to salute Harden, a future Hall of Famer. Harden ended with 13 points, four rebounds and a game-high 11 assists but turned the ball over six times. He was just 1-for-4 from the field but 10-for-12 from the foul line. "I only took four shots, but we won by 25 points," Harden said. "There will be nights when I score 35-40 points. I'm in the top 10 in scoring all time. Scoring has never been a problem for me. "We all know why I'm here. We only have one goal (a championship)." Harden's behind-the-back pass to Jaylon Tyson in the third quarter was a highlight-reel play. "The NBA is an entertainment league, too," Atkinson said. "It was aesthetically pleasing basketball. I loved it." Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell fired in 30 points. Since Harden was traded to Cleveland, Mitchell has soared to new heights and averaged 32.3 points in the three games. He also recorded his 28th game of 30 or more points this season. Center Jarrett Allen continued his fine play with 21 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He didn't miss a shot in eight attempts from the field and helped the Cavs win their 15th consecutive game over the Wizards (14-39). "This is the best J.A. I've seen since I've been here," Atkinson said. "I think he saved us five times at the rim. The guys were calling him Wilt (Chamberlain) in the locker room." Washington had seven players in double figures, led by Kyshawn George's 17 points. Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.