How Max Strus’ ‘grit’ rescued Cavs in Game 5 win over Magic

Of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ typical starting lineup, Max Strus was the only member not averaging double-digit scoring numbers in the first round against the Orlando Magic.

All series long, the Magic have hounded Strus, making life hard for the Cavs sharpshooter to find a rhythm and give Cleveland a scoring punch from the perimeter. Sure, Strus can give the Cavs rebounding and playmaking on top of his perimeter game. But when his shots failed to fall regularly, Strus could not give Cleveland a complete performance.

Thankfully, for Strus and the Cavs, all it takes is one perimeter attempt to go in to start rolling. In Cleveland’s 104-103 Game 5 win over Orlando, Strus did more than start rolling.

He was a key reason why the Cavs took a 3-2 lead.

Max Strus was on the loose in Game 5

“Max is a winner,” said head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. He plays the game purely to win, to compete at the highest level, and to try to win every single possession he’s on the floor.

“He’s a selfless dude who wants his teammates to come with him. He’s trying his best to make the right basketball plays all the time because he knows that elevates his teammates. We’re fortunate to have him, especially in these moments.”

Game 5 was the first time Max Strus had double-digit scoring numbers. He finished the game with 16 points on 46.2% shooting and connected on 40% of his perimeter attempts. Strus was also responsible for generating 14 additional points through his five assists, six rebounds, and two steals.

While it took Strus a bit to get rolling, a high-pressure situation like this one awoke something in him against a relentless Orlando defense. Again, it was also beyond his shooting as well. In the first half of action, Strus put his body on the line and took a heavy blow, drawing an offensive foul on Orlando and showcasing his unique grit Cleveland’s players have grown accustomed to.

“I love these moments,” said Strus postgame. I feel like when our backs are against the wall, [we do] whatever it takes to get one. And I think we all did a good job of that and understanding the importance of this game; it was fun to do that with these guys.”

Things really came into focus for Strus in the closing moments of the game. Playing with the same typical Strus-like intensity despite having his fifth foul, he made winning plays to keep the Magic at bay.

It first started with Strus helping big man Evan Mobley, preventing Paolo Banchero from scoring, and then immediately finding Marcus Morris Sr. on the perimeter on the other end of the court. Immediately after, Strus bullied Banchero again, stealing the basketball from Orlando’s star forward and quickly finding a streaking Donovan Mitchell to get a quick, easy two points and the lead.

“That’s just Max, man,” Darius Garland told ClutchPoints postgame when asked about Strus’s late-game heroics. “Max is a gritty guy, and he’s built for these moments. You can tell that he just loves playoff basketball. He’s been there before, and that’s why when guys say I’m always leaning on him, it’s because he’s been there. He’s done this before. So we already know what we’re gonna get out of him. We get that toughness. That grit. And he’s always gonna make the right play.”

Max Strus’ fingerprints were all over this win for the Cavs, and with Cleveland heading off to Orlando to face the Magic in Game 6, they’ll need that grit, especially with Strus looking more like the complete player everyone has grown accustomed to.