1.96 meters tall, 97 kilograms, and a Hollywood villain scumbag face, this is Cavaliers forward Max Strus. As an undrafted pick, Strus experienced the baptism of the NBA sweatshop heat. In the 2023 playoffs, Strus didn't perform well, averaging 58 points 48 rebounds. The knights saw his potential and signed him for a lot of money for 63 million in 4 years.
Just looking at the performance in the first 56 games of the season, the Cavaliers signed him expensively. He averaged 12 per gameA 1 is only a middle-class inefficient scorer, as he doesn't score a double 35% of the time. But just as Terrence Ross and Corey Brewer both scored 51 points, and Ross the Winged Angel also scored 50 points, God occasionally favors the little guys. Take, for example, Strus tonight.
What does it mean to have played for the Heat? The Heat's training intensity is greater than that of other teams, and the training time is longer than that of other teams. Under Spo's hands, the players abandoned distractions and only practiced themselves. Because a base salary player can only change his destiny if he works hard. Strus got a big contract, but he didn't want to live on a paycheck.
Strus is the kind of typical white scorer who has been honed to shoot and isn't otherwise top-notch. With 3:47 left in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers trailed by 10 points when Mitchell was caught between Doncic and Hardaway Jr. and sent a pass and Strus hit a three-pointer. Five seconds later, Strus hit a three-pointer from Doncic in the bottom corner. 40 seconds later, he was replaced by Harden Jr. Twenty-four seconds later, Strus' fourth three-pointer came back. In 67 seconds, Strus went on a 12-2 run against the Mavericks.
Finally 2The fairy plot really arrived in 8 seconds, the Cavaliers were 1 point behind, and Mobley handed the ball to Strus. The latter threw a shot put in the backcourt and threw a cannonball, and the ball burrowed into the basket like an eye. The arrogant Lone Ranger paid the price for his laxity, and they lost to a small man.
Strus wasn't the top scorer today, with star guards like Doncic, Irving and Mitchell all taller than him. But he just had luck in his favor, and they probably didn't expect such a gift when they gave Strus that big contract.