In Game Six, the Cleveland Cavaliers allowed the Detroit Pistons to exploit every lingering flaw the Cavs have yet to address.
Cleveland's stars were pitiful, and none of the roleplayers could dig the Cavs out of their own grave. The 115-94 home loss falls squarely on the star core, but a short stretch in the second half ended any chance for a comeback the Cavaliers still held.
Wing Sam Merrill enjoyed a spirited regular-season campaign. His quick trigger from the arc and much-improved defense were some of the best storylines for the Cavaliers and the fans. He joined the franchise via the G League, viewed as a one-dimensional shooter. This year, he emerged as a reliable tertiary playmaker and perimeter defender.
In the playoffs, Merrill has been nothing but the worst version of himself. The Pistons feasted against Merrill. In 20 minutes played, Merrill collected four personal fouls and was constantly hunted on defense by Pistons star Cade Cunningham. His slender frame gave Detroit a perfect mismatch for their leading superstar.
When Merrill struggles to make impact defensively, the Cavs quickly pivot to drawing up quick shots for him on offense, but those hardly fell. He gave Cleveland just two-of-five from three. He hesitated on his dribble penetration, and he quickly deferred instead of looking for openings. On a pin-down action in the third quarter, Merrill's three-point release looked completely foreign. He lost focus, trying to draw a foul rather than knock down a critical three.
Kenny Atkinson has to bench Merrill to save the Cavaliers' season
Entering Game Seven, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has to adjust his lineup and remove Merrill. The Pistons' physical style of play will continue to exploit Merrill's size and limitations. Leaving the 30-year-old wing on the court will only serve to gift Detroit easy lanes to the basket and a non-threat on the other end.
Merrill's overall impact has plummeted in the playoffs. With everything on the line in Game Seven, the Cavs cannot afford another long stretch of Detroit picking Merrill apart in a small-ball lineup. In five appearances this series, Merrill is shooting 7-of-20 from three and just 9-of-23 from the field. He has been completely negated as a ball handler and passer with just five assists in total.
Everything that Merrill typically brings to the Cavaliers' rotation is completely absent right now. The Cavs cannot afford that trend to continue and end the season.
Cleveland may return to Jaylon Tyson for another strong, physical player on the wing, risking his short fuse leading to another costly technical foul. Otherwise, Max Strus and Dean Wade might be pushed to play heavy minutes. Either way, Atkinson cannot entrust Merrill to be a substantial piece of the rotation with the season on the line.
Sam Merrill is one of the best success stories in recent Cavaliers history. His ascension from the G League to being a legitimate bench contributor looked like the secret weapon Cleveland needed for a deep playoff run. Now, that secret weapon has gone completely silent and might be losing footing with the franchise.
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