Max Strus guiding Cavs with 'winning plays'

CLEVELAND — Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson calls them "winning plays." Swingman Max Strus makes more than his share of them, including a huge steal with 2:32 remaining in overtime of Game 5. It led to a layup by teammate Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland's heart-stopping 117-113 overtime victory. Strus contributed 20 points, eight rebounds and one block on the night and shot 6-for-8 from the 3-point line. The six 3-pointers were a career high and the most by a Cavs player off the bench in a playoff game. It was his sixth career postseason game with at least 20 points, as well as his second in the 2026 postseason. He's also the third Cleveland player to amass at least 20 points, eight rebounds, one steal and one block off the bench in a playoff game. "He's a wild thing in a good way," Atkinson said. "He's a risk-taker. He has good instincts, athletic instincts. His competitiveness helps in those (tense) moments." He's had major steals from Pistons star Cade Cunningham in each of the previous two games. "I was just trying to win the game," Strus said. "Whatever it takes, it's that simple. I'm just trying to impact the game in any way possible. I'm trying to help our team put our best foot forward to win." While talking after Game 5, he said it "took everything we had" to win the game. "It wasn't our best night offensively, but I think it speaks volumes to getting this win. We found a way." He's become the Cavs' sixth man in the postseason, even though some think he should start. Amazingly, he's been so good after he missed the first 67 games of the regular season recovering from foot surgery. During his time off, he hit the weights hard. "You're out so long, all you do is lift," Strus said. "I mean, anything I could do to stay active. When you can't be on the court, you can't walk for three months, it's like, how can I get better? I found ways to be in the weight room. I am strong. I feel like I've always been strong, though. I take pride in that. It was preparing for moments like this. I knew that I was going to come back this season. I knew that this team was good enough to make a run, and I was just preparing myself, preparing my body, preparing my mind for these moments to be the best player that I could be to help us win." Defensive stopper Pistons swingman Ausar Thompson might be the best defensive player in the series. "Some nights, I wish I could put him on all five people (on the Cavs)," Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "One of the most remarkable plays I've seen was when he came from the weak side to block Jarrett Allen (in Game 5). You don't see plays like that." Struggling center Pistons center Jalen Duren has struggled throughout the first five games of the series. He was benched for much of the fourth quarter and overtime in Game 5. Bickerstaff isn't about to take Duren out of the starting lineup. "It's going to take time, trust and belief (with Duren)," he said. "We've seen elite-level players struggle. We'll stick with him and support him." Manipulating rules? Bickerstaff spent four years in Houston with Cavs guard James Harden and would often times play one-on-one with him. The coach said Harden worked on kicking out his feet on jump shots. "He would foul-bait me," Bickerstaff said. "He has a great understanding of the rules and how to manipulate them." Contact Bob Finnan at (440) 329-7135 or rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.