Despite Darius Garland and Evan Mobley being out with injuries, the Cleveland Cavaliers have quietly been one of the NBA’s hottest teams, winning 12 of their last 15 games, including a current seven-game winning streak. A big reason for the Cavs’ recent success has been the play of reserve guard Sam Merrill, who scored 18 points in Saturday night’s 116-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
While he began the season as an afterthought on Cleveland’s roster, the third-year guard has provided a much needed boost to the Cavaliers’ offense, particularly in the form of his three-point shooting. But following Saturday night’s victory, one Cleveland fan took his praise of Merrill a bit too far, comparing the Utah State product to Steph Curry in a social media message to Cavs legend and Bally Sports Ohio TV analyst Austin Carr.
“is sam Merrill better than steph curry?” the fan wrote to Carr.
The No. 1 pick of the 1971 NBA Draft quote tweeted the post with a series of smiley face emojis, before confirming that Merrill is not, in fact, better than the Golden State Warriors’ two-time MVP.
https://twitter.com/MrCavalier34/status/1748880303228137742
Can’t compare Sam with Curry ,two different players
— Austin Carr (@MrCavalier34) January 21, 2024
While the fan was likely being intentionally hyperbolic, Carr’s honest reply serves as a microcosm for why he remains a beloved figure for Cleveland fans. Rather than replying with the obvious — no, Merrill is not better than the best shooter in NBA history in Curry — the Notre Dame great simply stated that the two players aren’t comparable.
The 75-year-old Carr has developed a cult following on social media over the years, with his “Hello Cleveland it’s Game Time” and “Go Cavs” catchphrases having become weekly staples for Cleveland fans on social media. Yet despite his obvious pro-Cavs slant, his posts on Saturday show that there’s a point where even he’s willing to draw a line with how far he takes his praise.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.