Sam Merrill 22 points vs Pelicans (Dec 23, 2025)
22 PTS · 7-of-12 FG · 6-of-10 3P · 2-of-2 FT · 25:42 MIN
Usual before this game: 13.1 PTS · 9.8 FGA · 26.6 MIN, from 12 regular-season games
Game Score 23.1 against a usual 9.3 (+13.8)
above usual
No more than 2 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about once or twice a season.
How the score worksWhy did Sam Merrill score 22 points?
Sam Merrill scored 22 points against the Pelicans on Dec 23, 2025 in 25:42: 7-of-12 from the field (58.3%), 6-of-10 from three (60.0%), 2-of-2 on free throws. Coming in, Merrill had averaged 13.1 points on 9.8 shots in 26.6 minutes, from 12 regular-season games. The rate from the field was 58.3%, against a usual 43.6%. By shot type: threes 18 points (usual 10.0). Playing time was 25:42, against a usual 26.6 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 32.4, against a usual 12.6. Merrill had 7 assists, against a usual 2.5. At home against the Pelicans, the Cavaliers won 141-118, a 23-point win. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Merrill in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (12 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 25:42 | 26.6 | -0.9 |
| Points | 22 | 13.1 | +8.9 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 12 · 58.3% | 9.8 · 43.6% | +2.2 · +14.7 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 10 · 60.0% | 8.2 · 40.8% | +1.8 · +19.2 |
| FTA · FT% | 2-of-2 | 1.3 · 93.8% | +0.7 |
| Rebounds | 6 | 2.0 | +4.0 |
| Assists | 7 | 2.5 | +4.5 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0.8 | +0.2 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 12 games | 21.1 | 17.5 | +3.6 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 32.4 | 12.6 | +19.8 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (12 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 18 (6-of-10) | 10.0 (3.3-of-8.2) | +8.0 |
| Twos | 2 (1-of-2) | 1.8 (0.9-of-1.6) | +0.2 |
| Free throws | 2 (2-of-2) | 1.3 (1.3-of-1.3) | +0.7 |
| Total | 22 | 13.1 | +8.9 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
23.1 against a usual 9.3 (+13.8)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +8.5 |
| Rebounds | +1.7 |
| Assists | +3.2 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.3 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.1 |
| Total | +13.8 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
No rank yet: too few earlier games this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Cavaliers won 141-118 at home against the Pelicans, a 23-point win.
- Previous appearance: Dec 22, 2025, 1 day earlier.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Pelicans this season.
- The source holds fewer Cavaliers games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.