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Josh Lewenberg: Cavs are going back to Dean Wade; he replaces Max Strus in the starting lineup. Raptors going with the same starters as Game 6 (Shead and Walter in for Ingram and Quickley).
On Wednesday afternoon, before the team left for Canada, with sights on a sweep, Strus, the battle-tested playoff veteran, said a series doesn’t start until both teams get a chance to play on the road. The series has officially begun. “We will respond. We ain’t got no other choice,” James Harden said. “We didn’t expect to win 16 games in a row. You know what I mean? Guys [are] a little frustrated, which I get it, they’re supposed to be. We’re supposed to be. But find a way to weather the storm, figure it out and be better for Game 4. It’s a part of the whole process.”
Brothers could clearly be seen telling Strus, and the Cavs, but definitely Strus, that they (he) needed to get back, immediately. Atkinson, whose bedside manner with officials is, let’s say, spotty, rushed over to Brothers in the corner, getting between the referee and the Cavs. Atkinson had his hands on Brothers, but his demeanor seemed calm, friendly, perhaps even joking. Whatever Atkinson said to Brothers, he seemed to agree with the Cavs coach, and Strus survived without penalty. “I told Tony it wasn’t bad intentioned,” Atkinson told The Athletic afterwards. Atkinson thought Strus may have thrown the ball in addition to nearly coming onto the court. “He was frustrated with himself, and it wasn’t directed towards you. I just tried to mitigate, or negotiate, because Max can get riled up.”
Danny Cunningham: #Cavs beat the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 126-113. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 32 points, Max Strus had 24 off the bench, James Harden had 22 & 10 and Evan Mobley had 17. A relatively stress-free win for the Cavs. Cleveland leads the series 1-0.
Danny Cunningham: #Cavs list Donovan Mitchell (left ankle sprain) as out tonight in Memphis. James Harden (personal reasons), Thomas Bryant (left calf strain), Max Strus (left foot injury management), Jaylon Tyson (left great toe bone bruise) and Dean Wade (right ankle sprain) are also out.
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The Cavaliers have ruled out Jarrett Allen (right knee injury management) and Max Strus (left foot injury management) for Monday's game against Utah. Craig Porter (left groin strain) has been upgraded to probable.
Max Strus sat out Wednesday’s matchup between the two teams because it was on the second night of a back-to-back for the Cavaliers, and he just recently returned from a serious foot injury. But Strus made his presence known on Friday, totaling a game-high 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field and 8-of-11 shooting from three-point range in just his fifth game of the season. It marked the most points that Strus has scored in a game since joining the Cavs. Strus was hot from the start, scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range while playing 5:19 in Friday’s first quarter. Strus went on to enter halftime with a game-high 22 points. “He’s ignitable,” Spoelstra said of his former player. “And he’s probably ornery when he has to sit out a game. So that’s usually when he’s most locked in. I kind of wish he would have played the other night. But yeah, that’s certainly what he’s capable of.”
P.J. Ziegler: #Cavs go wire-to-wire, beat the #Heat 149-128. Max Strus finished with 8 three's and a game-high 29 points. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley both had double-doubles in the win.
Anthony Chiang: Cavs injury report for tonight vs. Heat on second night of back-to-back: Out: Jarrett Allen, Craig Porter Jr., Olivier Sarr, Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson. Questionable: Larry Nance Jr. So, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley all expected to play tonight.
Strus? In the closing lineup? Already? His second game back following an extended layoff — the result of late-summer foot surgery that cost him for the first 67 games? While on a minute restriction? On a night where he had two airballs and wasn’t playing nearly as well as Sunday’s debut? Yes, Strus. “I have such a comfort level with him,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said following the win. “I could see it going any way with him. Maybe starting lineup. Maybe sixth man. We will see how that plays out. But it’s hard not to finish with the guy because he is such a clutch player. We’ll see where it ends up. He has a way of imposing his will and makes you put him in the lineup.”
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Strus’ immediate usage raises an interesting — and difficult — question: How does Atkinson find minutes for everyone? Is it even possible? “We’re going to have those decisions,” Atkinson explained. “That’s part of our job. Have to make the right choices.”
Atkinson said Tuesday the Strus-specific plan over the next month is to steadily and slowly build up his minutes. The hope is to get him into the higher-20s by mid-April — a number that helps spotlight Strus’ substantial role. “He’s just Max,”: Merrill said. “He’s one of those guys, whether he is making or missing shots, he’s impacting the game. I know he is working his way back into it but he’s going to be really important for us.”
Bob Finnan: Final: Mavs 130, Cavs 120. Cooper Flagg leads all scorers with 27 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds. Max Strus has 24 points, 8 rebounds in season debut
Danny Cunningham: Max Strus is officially available for the #Cavs for the first time this season. Jaylon Tyson (ankle) is out.
