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Sam Merrill on Donovan Mitchell: “Donovan’s always been 100% committed here. I remember when he signed his last extension, when everyone thought he was going to leave and there was questions about it, like that whole season I would make jokes about it to him because we can joke about that stuff. He’d always be like, ‘Is it not obvious?’ He felt like it was pretty clear that he was committed to Cleveland and he’s shown that again with this new extension. He really, really wants to be in Cleveland, loves it here, and really wants to win at the highest level.”
Kevin O'Connor: Always heard good things about Mike Gansey. He was very involved in targeting guys like Sam Merrill and Max Strus — pro personnel types of decisions. Should be a good hire for the Sixers.
Cleveland shot 9 for 26 (26%) from beyond the arc Thursday, including 6 for 20 on open looks, according to ESPN Research. Sam Merrill, who is shooting 40% from 3 in the playoffs, went 0-for-7 from 3; he had never attempted more than five 3s in any game, regular season or playoffs, without making at least one. "We just hit no shots," Cavs guard James Harden said. "We had a lot of open shots. Make shots, hit a couple of those, win the ball game. Throughout the entire game, our process was right. I don't know if it was tired legs, you know, whatever the case is going to be, but we had a lot of really good looks. It's part of the game."
Mike Zavagno: Sam Merrill on 86 oRTG, 137 dRTG -17 Sam Merrill off 129 oRTG, 100 dRTG +6
Gilbert’s plans worked to perfection. As previously mentioned, Allen controlled the game. He (and, to be fair, Evan Mobley) set the tone on the interior, and Mitchell was masterful with his 26 points, eight assists, and seven boards. Sam Merrill made five 3s off the bench. The Cavs blew the doors off. And so did their fans. With the rout fully underway late in the third quarter and Detroit fans not having left quite yet, the Cleveland faithful were chanting “Let’s go, Cavs” loud enough that it could be heard throughout Little Caesars Arena. “I’ve never seen that in the NBA,” Atkinson said. “Where the visiting team brings that many people, and like, they’re present. We heard them.”
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Danny Cunningham: #Cavs dominate the Detroit Pistons 125-94 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Donovan Mitchell was excellent, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley were too, and Sam Merrill was outstanding off the bench. As dominant of a performance as they've had this year.
Lead referee Zach Zarba said Ausar Thompson’s left arm extended to Merrill’s head and neck area and “there was follow-through,” and he assessed Thompson a flagrant foul, penalty 1, which meant Thompson could stay in the game. “I just felt like it was a moving screen (on Merrill),” Thompson said. “I was just hoping that whatever (the referees) decided, I was going to be able to keep playing.” After the game, Zarba told a pool reporter the referees did see Thompson’s hand on Merrill’s neck but didn’t throw him out because the play was missing one of three criteria needed for an ejection. “The criteria for a flagrant foul 2 would be windup, impact and follow-through,” Zarba said. “On this particular play, there was impact and follow-through, but there was no windup. It was unnecessary contact but also not excessive, so that’s why it wasn’t upgraded to a flagrant 2.”
Chris Fedor: #Cavs Sam Merrill is OUT
Sam Merrill suffered a left hamstring injury that kept him out for the final three quarters of Cleveland’s 111-101 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Immediately after the game, Merrill walked gingerly out of the locker room. He underwent an MRI Wednesday morning and did not participate in the team’s off-day practice at Little Caesars Arena.
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Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said the team was still awaiting results of those scans and did not have an official update on Merrill’s status for Game 2 — or beyond. “I don’t want to give you anything definite,” Atkinson said. “We need to make 3s to win this series. They pack the paint and we’ve got to make 3s. He’s a big part of that. Hoping he’s back.”
