Cavaliers: Coach Kenny Atkinson overjoyed to have Sam Merrill back on the court

CLEVELAND — Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said he didn't want to give guard Sam Merrill too much credit. But then he did. Atkinson's world is almost complete with the return of the veteran shooting guard after a 14-game absence with a sprained right hand. Cleveland dished out a season-high 35 assists Monday in its 139-132 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. The coach believes it was because of Merrill's presence in the lineup. The Cavs also buried a season-high 24 3-point goals. Atkinson said having Merrill back on the court helped in that area, as well. "I don't know if we win that game if he doesn't play," the coach said. "That's how important he is to us. He causes chaos. I want him to be more vocal. He has a lot to offer in that area." Atkinson loved the free-agent signing of Merrill, which was one of the team's most important offseason moves. He signed a four-year, $38 million deal on June 28. "It was a super high priority for us," he said. "I absolutely love the guy. He fits our culture." His signing came at the expense of bringing back Ty Jerome, who signed with Memphis. Cleveland's salary is the highest in the NBA and has pushed past the second apron of the salary cap. Atkinson likens Merrill's work ethic to Golden State's Stephen Curry. "(Merrill) does everything at game speed," he said. Merrill, 29, played 26 minutes against Charlotte on Monday. His numbers were modest with four points, five assists, one rebound and one steal. He was 2-of-7 from the field and 0-of-4 from behind the arc. Atkinson said he thought the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder got a little tired in the first half, but rounded into form in the second half when he found his rhythm. On the season, Merrill is averaging 13.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He's shooting .455 from the field, .427 from behind the arc and .938 from the foul line. Veteran point guard Lonzo Ball, who was rested in Tuesday's game against New Orleans, buried 2 of 4 shots from long distance against the Hornets. He finished with six points, two rebounds, seven assists and one steal. "His shot selection was good," Atkinson said. "You've got to make shots in this league. He's working on it." Ball is shooting just .306 from the field this season, .263 from the 3-point line. He's averaging 5.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Atkinson said he believes Ball is "playoff worthy," meaning he's good enough to earn minutes in the postseason. Another guard will figure into Atkinson's rotation in the playoffs: Max Strus. He has yet to play this season and won't be on the court until January or February after having foot surgery. "There's no update," the coach said. "It's the same timeline." Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.