The Cavaliers did not have their best afternoon Sunday. But they did get something they had been waiting months to see.
Namely, Max Strus back on the court.
And when he returned, he wasted no time reminding everyone what he brings.
Strus knocked down six of seven three-pointers and finished with 24 points in just 20 minutes in his season debut. His first basket, a contested three off a pass from James Harden, brought Rocket Arena to its feet. His second sent the crowd into a frenzy.
It was Strus’ first NBA appearance since May 11 after foot surgery and a longer-than-expected recovery process.
“I worked my ass off,” Strus told reporters afterward. “It was a long road. I’m just happy to be playing.”
Coach Kenny Atkinson called the performance remarkable given the circumstances.
“It was a pretty amazing performance after seven months of not playing in an NBA game,” he said.
Strus wasn’t just hitting shots. He attacked closeouts, moved the ball and battled on the glass. All the little things the Cavs has missed during his absence.
“That’s the Max Strus we know,” Donovan Mitchell said.
Unfortunately for the Cavs, the return came in a 130-120 loss to the lowly Dallas Mavericks. Cleveland fell to 41-27 and remains just three games ahead of the pack chasing the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
James Harden struggled through a difficult shooting night, finishing 4-of-12 from the field with six turnovers. Along with that, Atkinson described the Cavs’ defensive effort as “permissive,” saying the team allowed Dallas to grow comfortable early.
Still, the day will mostly be remembered for Strus.
After seven months away, he looked like a guy who never left.
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