Max

Strus

Strus didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, but the overall line was solid for DFS players who may have slotted him into their lineups. The nine assists were a postseason high for the Cavaliers wing, who was asked to take on additional offensive responsibilities with Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert unavailable. Based on his Yahoo ADP, Strus was expected to provide late-round value this season, and that’s precisely what he did. Starting 70 games during the regular season, Strus established career-high averages in points (12.2), rebounds (4.8), assists (4.0), steals (0.9), and blocks (0.4). The best way for Strus to threaten top 100 status would be to improve the field-goal percentage, as he shot just 41.8% in 2023-24.

Strus got off to a hot start in this game and entered the break with 15 points on five triples as they trailed by just five points. However, things were much different in the second half. He missed all five of his shot attempts but added six rebounds and six assists before fouling out late in the fourth. It was a strange half for Strus, since most of his production usually comes from beyond the arc, as he showcased in the first half. If Donovan Mitchell remains out for Game 5 on Wednesday, Strus will be asked to step up offensively once again.

After scoring seven points or less in the series’ first four games, Strus hit double figures in the final three. He was critical during the second half of Game 7, scoring 11 of his 13 points to (along with Darius Garland) give Donovan Mitchell the offensive assistance Cleveland’s star guard desperately needed. Garland had a rough Sunday overall, shooting 3-of-13 from the field and finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer. While he and Strus did what was required to get past Orlando, both must be better in Cleveland’s second-round series against Boston. Game 1 is on Tuesday night.

Garland surpassed the 20-point mark for a second consecutive game, again shooting above 50% from the field. However, it’s difficult to win when players not named Garland or Donovan Mitchell combine to score 25 points. Max Strus was the only other Cavalier in double figures, and he scored 10 points while also tallying eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 39 minutes. The home team has won all six games in this series, which could bode well for Cleveland ahead of Sunday’s Game 7.

Strus may have played longer than the Cavaliers wanted him to, as Craig Porter Jr.'s first-half ankle injury left the team without any available point guards. That put Max in a position to take on more playmaking responsibilities, and the result was his fifth triple-double of the season (and seventh of his career). Due to the loss, Cleveland will be the 4-seed in the East, with Orlando being their first-round opponent.

Porter Jr. got the start at point guard for this game with Darius Garland sidelined, and they don’t really have any other guard options available to close out this game. Max Strus and Emoni Bates will likely take on some of the ball handling duties.

With Donovan Mitchell (knee) sitting out Cleveland’s second game in as many days, Garland shouldered even more of the offensive workload than usual. He led the Cavs in points and steals, with only Max Strus (20/4/9/1 with four 3-pointers in 39 minutes) having a more productive day in the assist category. At the same time, Garland also tallied five turnovers, but the overall stat line made up for that blemish. For leagues that run through Week 24, Cleveland is one of the few teams that only plays three games instead of four.

Two of Cleveland’s starting guards, Mitchell and Darius Garland, struggled offensively, while Max Strus (9/2/2/2 with one 3-pointer) only attempted five shots in his 27 minutes. Spida may still be getting used to the face mask he’s wearing to protect his broken nose. After shooting 4-of-13 and scoring 12 points in Friday’s win over Philadelphia, Mitchell was only one point better on Sunday. Garland shot 2-of-8 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line, finishing with five points, two rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in 29 minutes. Cleveland’s star guards will look to bounce back on Tuesday when they visit the Jazz, the first of four games they’ll play in Week 23.

Strus had missed the team’s last 12 games with a right knee strain, but he returned to the lineup for this game. His return sent Caris LeVert back to the bench, but both players were productive. LeVert maintained his playmaking dominance as a reserve and finished with eight assists in 30 minutes. Donovan Mitchell is nearing a return, but LeVert should still be a reliable source of dimes until Mitchell is back. Strus isn’t an excellent option in 9-cat leagues, though he can consistently be relied on for 3-pointers. He’ll look to keep it going against the 76ers on Friday.

Strus is back after missing the team’s last 12 games, and he immediately returns to the starting unit. That will push Caris LeVert back to the bench, though he should still see enough minutes to continue to provide excellent value in 9-cat leagues.