If you thought the realm of the impossible was out of reach in the NBA, Max Strus just proved you wrong with a shot that will echo in basketball history for years to come. In a nail-biting showdown that had fans on the edge of their seats, Strus delivered a moment of pure magic that will be etched in the annals of Cleveland Cavaliers lore forever.
The stage was set with the Cavaliers trailing the Dallas Mavericks 119-118, and the clock ticking down to a mere 2.6 seconds. Luka Doncic had already dazzled with a staggering 45 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds, but it was Strus who would have the final say. With the pressure at its peak, Strus, the 27-year-old guard, took the inbound pass and, from beyond halfcourt, launched a shot that defied belief and found nothing but net. The buzzer sounded, and the crowd erupted as the Cavaliers clinched a thrilling 121-119 victory.
Strus’s heroics capped off a robust shooting night where he logged 21 points on 7 of 12 shooting, with a remarkable 7 of 10 from 3-point range. His performance was not just about scoring; he added four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks to his stat line in 26 minutes of play. The victory propelled an in-form Cleveland to a 38-19 record, while the Mavericks fell to 33-25.
The reactions from the NBA world were instantaneous and full of awe. StatMuse highlighted Strus’s fourth-quarter rampage with 15 points and a perfect 5-5 from beyond the arc, culminating in the halfcourt game-winner. Dan Favale captured Strus’s humorous side with a post-game quote, ‘I don’t know…I got lucky don was out cuz you know he would’ve shot that one,’ followed by a string of laughing emojis. Tas Melas and Bradeaux NBA echoed the sentiment, with Melas coining ‘Max Stress’ for Markieff Morris and Bradeaux calling it one of the craziest game-winners ever seen.
The shot was officially measured at 59 feet, making it the second-longest game-winning buzzer-beater of the 3-point era, according to ESPNStatsInfo. StatMamba reminded us that Strus had just hit the second-farthest game-winning buzzer-beater in NBA history. The Strus was indeed loose, as Josh Poloha put it, after entering the fourth quarter with 5:06 remaining and proceeding to make five 3-pointers in the final 3:42.
But it wasn’t just Strus who shone for the Cavs. Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 31 points, adding seven boards and six assists. The Cavs also saw significant contributions from Isaac Okoro, who has been improving offensively all season, and the team now looks to solidify their position as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
As the dust settles on this miraculous game, Max Strus’s name will be remembered for delivering a moment of sheer basketball brilliance. It’s the kind of play that kids dream of, the kind of shot that gets replayed in highlight reels and talked about in hushed tones of reverence. Max Strus, with one flick of the wrist, turned the impossible into reality and reminded us all why we love the game of basketball.
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NBA world mindblown by Max Strus’ beyond half-court game-winner in Cavs-Mavs
