Cavs Corner, Week 8: Shoot it, Sam!

Weekly slate: Loss at Boston (116-107); Win vs. Atlanta (127-119); Win vs. Houston (135-130).

🩼 The big picture: Darius Garland and Evan Mobley — two of the Cavs' three best players — are out for significant stretches with injuries (jaw and knee, respectively).

• Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and an army of role players will have to dig deep over the next two months to keep the team's postseason hopes alive in a suddenly cramped Eastern Conference.

🥂 Weekly winner: Merrill. The Salt Lake City native was the last pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and has found a home in Cleveland. He's shooting 45% on three-point shots, the best on the team.

• He played 24 minutes in the overtime win against Houston on Monday, his most of the year, and drained 5 of his 10 shots from long range.

❤️‍🩹 Weekly loser(s): Garland and Mobley, and the fans who love them.

What's next: Tonight vs. Utah; tomorrow vs. New Orleans; Saturday at Chicago.