3 Cleveland Cavaliers bench players that could swing the series against Orlando Magic

3. Sam Merrill

The Cavaliers stumbled upon a wonderful surprise this season, and that is the electric shooting of Sam Merrill. Merrill had only appeared in 41 games in his first three seasons (two with the Bucks, one with the Cavs). But this season the Cavs gave him a chance with some real minutes, and he proved to be a hidden gem. In only 17.5 minutes a game, Merrill averaged 2.3 three pointers a game on 40% from behind the arc. 

Having a dead eye three point shooter has proven to be a huge advantage in the playoffs. The Cavaliers feasted on the hot shooting of J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver and Channing Frye during their four straight NBA Finals appearances. If the offense seems to be struggling to make shots, they might call on Merrill to play more minutes and revive the offense with his endless release.

With Merrill’s ability to shoot from the outside at a high volume, he could swing whole games in the Cavs favor and ultimately change the series outcome. Throughout Cleveland's dominant winter stretch, Merrill lit up the sky with triple after triple finding the bottom of the net alongside Donovan Mitchell's MVP-esque passing and brilliance. For the Cavs to reach their fullest potential, they must maximize a player like Merrill.

Every Cleveland Cavalier that sees the court will be incredibly valuable and could make big contributions for the team. Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro will also be playing a lot of minutes of the bench as criticial pieces to the Cavs' success. The three players listed above have the potential to push the Cavaliers over the Magic in ways that they desperately need.