Sam Merrill 32 points vs Wizards (Feb 11, 2026): best of 30 games
32 PTS · 11-of-12 FG · 9-of-10 3P · 1-of-1 FT · 25:00 MIN
Usual before this game: 12.9 PTS · 9.2 FGA · 25.6 MIN, from 29 regular-season games
Best Game Score of the 30 games the source holds this season: 30.9 against a usual 9.3 (+21.6)
Season-high 32 points among the games the source holds (previous high 22, reached in 4 earlier games)
above usual
No more than 1 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 less than once a season.
How the score worksWhy did Sam Merrill score 32 points?
Sam Merrill scored 32 points against the Wizards on Feb 11, 2026 in 25:00: 11-of-12 from the field (91.7%), 9-of-10 from three (90.0%), 1-of-1 on free throws. Before this game, Merrill averaged 12.9 points on 9.2 shots in 25.6 minutes across 29 regular-season games. No earlier game the source holds this season reached 32 points. By Game Score it was the best of the 30 games the source holds this season. The 91.7% from the field compares with a usual 45.7%. By shot type: threes 27 points (usual 9.9); two-pointers 4 points (usual 1.8). Minutes: 25:00, against a usual 25.6; Game Score per 36 minutes: 44.5, against a usual 13.1. At home against the Wizards, the Cavaliers won 138-113, a 25-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 (29 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 25:00 | 25.6 | -0.6 |
| Points | 32 | 12.9 | +19.1 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 12 · 91.7% | 9.2 · 45.7% | +2.8 · +46.0 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 10 · 90.0% | 7.4 · 44.4% | +2.6 · +45.6 |
| FTA · FT% | 1-of-1 | 1.4 · 87.5% | -0.4 |
| Rebounds | 5 | 2.2 | +2.8 |
| Assists | 1 | 2.3 | -1.3 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 29 games | 21.5 | 17.6 | +3.9 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 44.5 | 13.1 | +31.4 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (29 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 27 (9-of-10) | 9.9 (3.3-of-7.4) | +17.1 |
| Twos | 4 (2-of-2) | 1.8 (0.9-of-1.8) | +2.2 |
| Free throws | 1 (1-of-1) | 1.2 (1.2-of-1.4) | -0.2 |
| Total | 32 | 12.9 | +19.1 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
30.9 against a usual 9.3 (+21.6)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +19.9 |
| Rebounds | +1.0 |
| Assists | -0.9 |
| Steals and blocks | +1.0 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.6 |
| Total | +21.6 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of the 30 games the source holds this season.
Previous best: 23.1, set on Dec 23, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Cavaliers won 138-113 at home against the Wizards, a 25-point win.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Wizards 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.