TITLE: Cavaliers still waiting on Sam Merrill as wrist injury lingers
SLUG: cavaliers-still-waiting-on-sam-merrill-wrist-injury
CONTENT:
Sam Merrill’s right wrist continues to keep the Cleveland Cavaliers sharpshooter off the court, and the club remains without a target date for his return.
Assistant coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters on Wednesday that the 27-year-old guard has not yet resumed practice activities. “I don’t know what to tell you guys. He’s frustrated. We’re frustrated,” Atkinson said. “It’s just a slow healing process. It hasn’t gotten worse and the swelling is decreasing, but he still can’t shoot or catch with his right hand.”
Merrill suffered the injury on Nov. 17 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Before the setback, he was averaging 13.9 points while connecting on 44 percent of his three-point attempts, numbers that had helped stabilize a rotation thinned by other injuries.
While ballhandling and shooting drills remain off-limits, Atkinson noted that Merrill has kept up his conditioning through sprinting and movement work. “You guys know Sam. He’s doing everything else,” the coach said.
The Cavaliers have struggled to replace his perimeter production. Since Merrill was sidelined, the team has shot 33 percent from beyond the arc, ranking 28th in the NBA over that span.
Cleveland hopes the guard can accelerate his comeback once the swelling fully subsides, but until then, the club continues to wait.
Source: Hoops Wire
