Sam Merrill drained eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 27 points to lift the host Cleveland Cavaliers to a 124-116 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Merrill, who set his previous career-high with 19 points in an overtime win against Houston on Monday, went 8-for-14 from beyond the arc and 9-for-16 from the floor. The former Utah State star, who grew up 10 miles north of Salt Lake City, helped the Cavaliers win despite the absence of Donovan Mitchell, who was sidelined with an illness.
It was the third win in a row for Cleveland despite missing Evan Mobley (knee surgery) and Darius Garland (jaw).
Caris LeVert contributed 23 points and seven assists off the bench, Max Strus added 18 points and Jarrett Allen had 17 points and eight rebounds.
Former Cavaliers Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 26 and 20 points, respectively. Markkanen pulled down 10 rebounds.
Talen Horton-Tucker added 19 points and 11 assists, while John Collins contributed 16 points off the bench as Utah began a five-game road trip with a loss.
Utah led 93-92 after three quarters but Merrill sparked a massive run for Cleveland, opening the final quarter with two 3-pointers. Former Jazz player Georges Niang (15 points) and LeVert then drained triples to cap a 12-0 spurt.
Merrill hit another 3 a month later as the Cavaliers seized a 109-95 lead with 7:18 remaining thanks to a quarter-opening 17-2 run.
The Jazz were within seven after Markkanen hit two free throws with 1:27 remaining, but Strus hit a 3-pointer and the Cavs fended off Utah’s late rally attempt.
Utah shot 51.3 percent from the floor to Cleveland’s 46.9 percent, but the Cavaliers sank 23 of 51 3-pointers in the victory. They also dished out 34 assists to the Jazz’s 24.
–Field Level Media