Max

Strus

Strus has not been in the starting lineup for this series, with Dean Wade (two rebounds, one assist and one steal) receiving the first shot at defending New York’s Jalen Brunson. However, it’s fair to question if Cavaliers’ head coach Kenny Atkinson will consider a lineup change going into Monday’s must-win Game 4. Strus, who logged 31 minutes to Wade’s 17, is a greater threat offensively while being able to harass Brunson defensively. The Knicks’ star still scored 30 points in Game 3, but Cleveland not getting any offensive production from Wade was also problematic. Cleveland needs a win on Monday to extend its season and send the series back to New York for a Game 5.

Usually, James Harden (nine points, five rebounds and six assists) shooting 2-of-10 from the field would spell doom for his team. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, with Merrill’s performance among the reasons why. Shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, Merrill was one of four Cavaliers to finish the 125-94 rout with at least 20 points. Max Strus (9/3/2/3 with one three-pointer) was the fifth starter on Sunday, replacing Dean Wade, but there’s room for Merrill to step up as well. Cleveland visits New York on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Cavaliers have changed their starting lineup for Game 7, with Strus replacing Dean Wade. Strus offers a higher offensive ceiling, and he can also take on the task of defending Cade Cunningham. The other four starters are unchanged.

Merrill did not play in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat after logging seven minutes in the series opener. As a result, the Cavaliers essentially went with an eight-man rotation, with Keon Ellis logging six minutes as the ninth man. Regardless of Merrill’s status, Max Strus should log the majority of the bench minutes on the wing.

Merrill logged just seven minutes in the Game 1 loss and didn’t register a single point. Still, the Cavaliers’ depth takes a bit of a hit in regard to three-point shooting and overall scoring. In his absence, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, and Jaylon Tyson should see more minutes.

The rumblings that Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was considering a change to his starting lineup have been proven true. Strus, who was a starter for most of last season, moves into the starting five for Wednesday’s game, with Dean Wade heading to the bench. The other four starters are unchanged.

Strus came off the bench and had 24 points on 10 attempts from the field and four three-pointers. The 30-year-old shooting guard was +8 in 24 minutes off the bench. Strus is known for performances like this in the playoffs going back to his days with the Miami Heat.

The Cavaliers are locked into the No. 4 seed regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s games, so most of their key contributors won’t play. The exception is Strus, and given the time he missed after undergoing offseason foot surgery, managers in active fantasy leagues should not expect to see him on the court for too long. The other four starters should play significant minutes, although Tyson only recently returned from an injury.

Tyson is available to play for the first time since March 19, and he will do so as a starter. The Cavaliers are without Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, resulting in starts for Tyson and Strus. The other three starters are unchanged.

Mitchell’s absence will leave the Cavaliers without their best scorer on Friday. In his absence, Keon Ellis or Max Strus could move into a starting role, creating more opportunities for them to produce. Sam Merrill is also a candidate to slot in as a replacement starter.