Like the Energizer Bunny, Max Strus is powering the Cleveland Cavaliers' postseason run with effort and timely play-making. That was never more evident on a night that the Cavs were able to steal a road game in their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup with the Detroit Pistons.
There's an old cliché in the NBA that role players play better at home. Before Game 5, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was asked about the saying and how they account for it in their preparation. His message was clear.
"I just think we need someone to step up. We need a role player to step up," he asserted. "We got a lot of good ones ... Could be Jaylon Tyson, could be Sam [Merrill], could be Max [Strus]. You know, you don't know where it's going to come from, but I think the history of the NBA kind of proves that you need players to step up, especially in games like this."
Hours later, as the dust settled on Wednesday night's thrilling, 117-113 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons it was Max Strus who answered Atkinson's call.
Strus provided 20 points off the bench for the Cavs, while also grabbing 8 boards, dishing out an assist, blocking a shot and corralling a singular, but critical steal in overtime.
In a first half that saw Cleveland commit a whopping 10 turnovers, which the Pistons turned into 20 points, Strus provided a critical spark to keep the game from getting lopsided.
The 30-year-old knocked down four of his six three-point attempts before the break, for 12 points. If not for him, what was an eight-point Pistons lead would have been much larger without Strus.
He wasn't anywhere near done leaving his imprint on the game, either – he tends to find the most unique ways to do that.
In Game 3, he made one of the most remarkable plays you'll ever see. With the game tied at 104 a piece late in the fourth, Strus quite literally stole the basketball on an inbound play from Detroit's biggest star, Cade Cunningham, then took off for the basket, finishing the play with a layup to give the Cavs a 106-104 lead.
Atkinson called it the "winning play" of play of the game, something the Cavs highlight one example of after every game. It play sparked a surge by Cleveland that helped them pull away for a 116-109 victory to get back in the series.
In Game 4, there was Strus forcing an eight-second violation on Pistons star Cade Cunningham late in the third quarter, as the Pistons tried to mount a fierce comeback from down double-digits. It was less impactful in the moment than a steal and a bucket to take the lead two nights prior, but it was just another classic hustle play from Strus.
In Game 5, there were several more noteworthy moments for the Strus highlight reel – expectedly so when a guy drills six threes. None felt bigger than his overtime steal that bought the Cavs an extra bucket.
After Mitchell nailed a side-stepping three-pointer from the right side (his only three of the night) to push Cleveland's lead to 110-105, Cunningham got a quick inbound pass and started turning upcourt, only to have Strus poke the ball away.
As it bounced behind Cunningham, Strus snagged the loose ball, darted toward the basket, but was cutoff by Ausar Thompson, reversed course, then found a cutting Mitchell with a bounce pass into the key for an easy layup.
Suddenly, the lead jumped from five to seven with just 2:30 to play.
It was another one of those winning plays Atkinson likes to highlight.
"Max Strus' steal," the Cavs head man asserted when asked about a play that stands out in the win. "That just came outta nowhere ... that just felt like the crowd like, gasped. It was a huge play. He made so many winning plays tonight, but that was the big one."
It's always the little things with Strus. It's a timely steal, or a momentum swinging deflection, a stirring shot. It's also the things that don't show up on a box score when you go back to check the stats.
His teammates, however, recognize it and feed off of it.
"I don't know if there's necessarily one word [to describe Max]," former MVP James Harden said afterward. "One night he might have five points, but I think the thing that he's doing doesn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet, across the board.
"From last series to this series, picking up guys full court, wearing them out. Obviously that takes a toll on your body as well, but he finds another level to go out there and compete a high level and then go out there offensively and make shots."
Donovan Mitchell took it a step further. While he and Harden are the superstars of the team, he knows they wouldn't be anywhere without Strus.
"Everything. I've said it since we got him here," said the seven-time All-Star on what Strus means to the franchise. "He was always gonna make plays ... but it's great to see the shots go in along with the effort."
It's hard to fathom that the Cavs are up 3-2 in this best-of-seven series with the Pistons without Strus. If they're going to close it out Friday night on their home floor – where Cleveland's role plays theoretically should play better – they'll need him again.
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