Cavaliers' Max Strus: Goes scoreless in Game 5 loss
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Strus closed Tuesday's 114-105 loss to Indiana in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with zero points (0-9 FG, 0-6 3Pt), seven rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.
Strus was nowhere to be seen, going scoreless in a game for the first time this season. While he was able to score at least 20 points on two separate occasions during the second-round matchup, Strus' inconsistency on the offensive end mirrored what he delivered during the regular season. After earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference, Cleveland will likely rue plenty of missed opportunities as it shifts its focus to the 2025-26 season.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Team-high six rebounds in loss
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Strus racked up 11 points (4-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists and one steal in 22 minutes during Sunday's 129-109 loss to the Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Strus played 22 minutes in the blowout loss in Game 4. Despite limited time on the floor, the DePaul product led the team in rebounds, along with Tristan Thompson, who also grabbed six boards. Strus is averaging 13.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in these NBA playoffs, shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from deep.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Steps up in Game 2
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Strus finished with 23 points (8-18 FG, 5-12 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and four assists over 39 minutes during Tuesday's 120-119 loss to the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Cavaliers were without Darius Garland (toe), Evan Mobley (ankle) and De'Andre Hunter (thumb), so Strus soaked up a ton of usage in Game 2. However, it remains to be seen if any of those players will be able to give it a go during Game 3 on Friday in Indiana, with the Cavaliers already facing a 2-0 deficit.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Struggles in Game 1 loss
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Strus ended with seven points (2-9 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals in 32 minutes during Sunday's 121-112 loss to the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Strus was unable to have any sort of tangible impact on the game, scoring in single digits for the third time in five postseason games. Although he managed to contribute across other categories, his role as a secondary scorer is what the Cavaliers need the most, especially with Darius Garland sidelined due to a toe injury. Look for Strus to try and amp up his scoring when the two teams meet again Tuesday.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Held in check
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Strus had three points (1-6 FG, 1-4 3Pt), five rebounds, four assists and one steal across 21 minutes during Monday's 138-83 victory over Miami in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
On a night in which the Cavaliers put up 138 points, Strus was one of the few players unable to capitalize. He's been solid in the postseason for the most part, to be fair, posting 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 3.0 three-pointers on 46.9 percent shooting through four games.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Productive in Game 3 win
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Strus amassed 18 points (7-13 FG, 4-9 3Pt), nine rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes during Saturday's 124-87 win over the Heat in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The 29-year-old took advantage of the absence of Darius Garland (toe) to put together his best game so far this postseason. Strus has been locked in from beyond the arc, going 11-for-22 on three-point attempts through three games against the Heat heading into a potential series clincher Monday in Game 4.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Efficient shooting in win
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Strus had nine points (3-5 FG, 3-5 3Pt), one rebound and one assist across 21 minutes during Sunday's 121-100 victory over Miami in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Strus didn't light up the scoreboard in Game 1 against Miami, but he shot well when given the opportunity, going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Cleveland went on to cruise to a 21-point victory to take the 1-0 series lead.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Available for Game 1 on Sunday
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Strus (knee) is not on the injury report for Game 1 against the Heat on Sunday.
Strus is one of several Cleveland players who will be available for the series opener against the Heat despite not playing in the regular-season finale. Strus averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 38.6 percent from deep in his 50 appearances. He should be a regular for the Cavs in the postseason.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Won't play Sunday
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Strus is out for Sunday's game against the Pacers due to right knee injury management.
Strus is one of several regulars who will miss Sunday's regular-season finale for the Cavaliers, who have already locked up the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Strus, a sharpshooter who stretches the floor for the Cavs on offense, should be good to go for the start of the playoffs April 19. He finishes the 2024-25 season with averages of 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 38.6 percent from deep in his 50 appearances (37 starts).
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Team-high five threes in return
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Strus registered 19 points (7-15 FG, 5-12 3Pt), five rebounds, three assists and two blocks across 35 minutes during Friday's 108-102 victory over the Knicks.
After sitting out Thursday's tilt against the Pacers, Strus nailed a team-high five three-pointers and paced the Cavaliers in swats Friday in his return to the starting lineup. The veteran sharpshooter has settled into a key three-and-D role in 2024-25, averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.3 three-pointers in 26.8 minutes while shooting 41.8 percent from deep over his last 12 games.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Good to go Friday
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Strus (knee) isn't on the injury report for Friday's game versus the Knicks.
Strus will return to action Friday after sitting out the first leg of Cleveland's back-to-back due to a knee issue. Strus should re-enter the Cavaliers' starting lineup against Indiana, especially since Donovan Mitchell (ankle) remains out.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Out vs. Indiana
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Strus is out for Thursday's game against the Pacers due to knee injury management, Evan Dammarell of DownEuclid.com reports.
Strus has been bothered by a knee bruise, and the Cavaliers are doing the smart thing by sitting him down with the playoffs right around the corner. Strus has started in each of his 36 appearances since Jan. 20, averaging 9.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 0.6 steals per game. His next chance to suit up will come against the Knicks on Friday.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Solid stat line Sunday
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Strus supplied 11 points (4-6 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and seven assists across 29 minutes during Sunday's 120-113 loss to Sacramento.
Strus was one of six Cleveland players who scored in double digits in this game, but more than his scoring, he delivered a strong fantasy showing by his contributions in other categories, mainly rebounds and assists. Strus is firmly entrenched in a starting role for the Cavs, but as a player who doesn't score in double digits often, his upside isn't very high, mainly since he's the fifth option on offense in a stacked starting unit.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Available to play
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Strus (ankle) is available for Sunday's game against the Clippers.
After sitting out Friday against the Pistons due to right ankle injury management, Strus will be back in his usual starting role Sunday. Over his last seven appearances (all starts), Strus has averaged 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 three-pointers.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Sitting out Friday
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Strus won't play Friday against the Pistons due to right ankle injury management.
Friday's game is the second leg of a back-to-back set, so the Cavaliers will elect to hold Strus out as a matter of caution and provide him with a chance to rest. During Thursday's win over the Spurs, Strus produced 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-7 3Pt), four rebounds and four assists across 29 minutes. With Strus out Friday, Sam Merrill and Isaac Okoro could be in store for more playing time.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Scores 18 points vs. Spurs
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Strus produced 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-7 3Pt), four rebounds and four assists across 29 minutes during Thursday's 124-116 win over San Antonio.
Strus was coming off three straight games in which he had posted single-digit scoring numbers, but he bounced back in this one and delivered a solid line across the board. The lack of consistency and diminished role certainly hurt Strus' upside in most formats. He's scored in double digits in just four of his last eight starts, averaging 11.8 points per game in that stretch. He does deliver good shooting percentages, as he's making 45 percent of his threes in that eight-game span.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Drops season-high 24 on Tuesday
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Strus logged 24 points (8-12 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds and one assist over 26 minutes during Tuesday's 132-119 loss to the Clippers.
Even with the Cavs' starting five at full strength following the return of Evan Mobley, it was Strus who led the team in scoring en route to a season-high 24 points. The five made three-pointers also tied his best showing of 2024-25. Strus has drained multiple treys in seven of nine March games, averaging 12.1 points, 4.9 boards, 3.1 assists and 2.8 threes so far this month while shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Posts 10 points vs. Orlando
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Strus closed Sunday's 108-103 loss to Orlando with 10 points (4-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and five assists across 27 minutes.
Strus has scored in double digits in seven of his last 10 appearances, but at the same time, he's reached the 15-point mark just twice in that span. He has low-end fantasy value at the moment since he's the fifth scoring option in a stacked Cavaliers roster. He can be a serviceable streaming option in most formats, but he doesn't carry the same upside as other players on the Cleveland roster.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Stands out in win Sunday
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Strus logged 17 points (6-11 FG, 5-9 3Pt), nine rebounds, two assists and one steal over 22 minutes during Sunday's 112-100 victory over the Bucks.
In a game where Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley weren't as dominant as they usually are, Strus stepped his game up and finished as the team's highest scorer. This 17-point output matched his previous season-high mark in this category, and he seems to be trending in the right direction after scoring in double digits in four of his last five appearances, averaging 11.2 points and shooting 41.7 percent from deep in that stretch.
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Cavaliers' Max Strus: Notches 14 points
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Strus racked up 14 points (5-15 FG, 4-11 3Pt), nine rebounds, three assists and two steals across 36 minutes during Sunday's 133-129 overtime win over Portland.
Strus' production has been pretty sporadic, making him hard to trust outside of deeper formats. Over his last 10 games, he's been just inside the top-150 in nine-category formats, posting averages of 10.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.6 three-pointers in that span.