What We Learned About Cavs Bench in Season Opener Vs Sixers

With the season opener finally in the books, there is a lot to take away from the Cavs. The bad certainly outweighs the good with all that transpired, but it has been only one game. The positive side is that it is an 82-game season and a champion (and chumpion) was never crowned after one single contest.

Let’s talk about the Cleveland reserves and how each guy that got on the floor performed. Notably absent was rookie Meleek Thomas, as the team, which went 10 deep, did not include him.

Sam Merrill

Things started off positively for Sam Merrill in the first half, as he was able to impact the game on both ends. He subbed in with Jaylon Tyson as part of the first rotation changes, a move that was widely expected to happen. He hit a quick three, and was able to get a lay-up off a feed from Mario Hezonja.

Unfortunately though, that would be it. He got just five shots in 24 minutes of action, including one single attempt after halftime. For a guy with Merrill’s shooting ability, they have got to work harder to get him more looks. A major loss for the second-unit to not get him more space.

In all, Merrill had five points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal, finishing +5.

Jaylon Tyson

Jaylon Tyson, like Sam Merrill, wasn’t able to score much. He shot just 1-6 in his 24 minutes of action, and the three-point shot which elevated his game a season ago was nowhere in sight. He was 0-4 from deep. The good news though, was defense and rebounding were both on display for the third-year pro.

Tyson grabbed six rebounds (two offensive), and had a steal with two blocks. His aggression and effort did not go unnoticed, and when the shot starts to fall, he’ll be a full threat. He is due for a big season.

He was also a +5 in his minutes.

Mario Hezonja

Though he shot just 5-13 in 19 minutes on the court, Mario Hezonja certainly looked comfortable. He was able to score out of the post, and get it to the cup. He was 0-5 from 3PT, but the shots did come out in rhythm, and he did not seem sped up at all.

Considering how dominant Philly’s second-half defense looked, the confidence of Cleveland’s forward never waned. He finished with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Not too shabby in his NBA return.

He’ll get plenty of chances to shine in 2026-27. A very sneaky-great add for this team/

Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor

There was not much to take away from the minutes of Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor. Both guys were a bit underwhelming in limited action.

We knew already that Porter is extremely athletic, which he showed on the glass. He had three rebounds in seven minutes, but that was pretty much it. He didn’t shoot the ball, and the one time he had planned to, he first stepped on the end line. As for Proctor, a missed floater is all he put up in five minutes. 

If this was the showing the team was going to get, perhaps they’d have trotted Meleek Thomas out. What do they have to lose?

On To The Next

The Cavs play the Nets in their next game tomorrow. Might Meleek Thomas or Thomas Bryant get some run? Let’s see.