Latest news with #MaxStrus
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'We got to get tougher': Cavs identify main reason for their playoff elimination vs Pacers
INDEPENDENCE — Two years after the Cavaliers were bullied out of the NBA playoffs by the New York Knicks, Cleveland's lack of toughness has returned to the forefront. This is a conversation the top-seeded Cavs are driving on the heels of their 4-1 series defeat to the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal. Advertisement 'We got to get tougher — mentally, physically,' Cavs small forward Max Strus said Wednesday, May 14, less than 24 hours after Cleveland's season ended way earlier than it expected. Toughness comes in different forms. Unlike against the Knicks in 2023, the Cavs weren't crushed by the Pacers in rebounding. The Cavs actually outrebounded the Pacers 229-208 in their second-round matchup, including 70-35 on the offensive end of the floor. As far as game-by-game results go, the Cavs won the rebounding battle twice, lost it twice and tied with the Pacers once. In this year's playoffs, the toughness the Cavs sought had more to do with focus, fight, composure and assertiveness. It was tied to keeping up with the Pacers' elite transition offense and handling their full-court defensive pressure. Indiana's relentless pace clearly wore down Cleveland on multiple fronts. Advertisement 'If you look at the series, we kind of weren't ready for Game 1,' Strus said. 'I think the Miami series [sweep in the first round] didn't really prepare us for that, and we kind of slept on that and didn't come out with the same force and aggression. 'Then Game 2, can't lose that one. The toughness in teams and knowing how to win and toughing games out, that's where it is. You got to close those games out when you're up. [In Game 5] we were up [19 points] in the first half. In the playoffs, those got to be wins, and that's where we needed to grow and learn as a team and kind of understand that.' Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) celebrates a basket during Game 3 of a second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on May 9, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Cavs playoffs: Jarrett Allen not derailed by injury this time, but postseason performance a letdown Advertisement Strus knows what is required in the postseason because he went to the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat in 2023, yet he is hardly the only member of the 2024-25 Cavs kicking himself about a lack of collective toughness. The topic became a central theme of player season wrap-up news conferences at Cleveland Clinic Courts. A small sampling ... All-Star point guard Darius Garland : 'The mental toughness, the physical toughness that we've been through before and just trying to get over that hump. … It's hard getting over that hump, so we've got to figure out what can we do to make that next step.' Forward Dean Wade : '[The Pacers] kind of absorbed the punches we were throwing and just kind of stayed in the fight. And then whenever we got tired, they just kind of took over.' Center Tristan Thompson: 'Every matchup [in the playoffs] is about which team can be more physical. The possessions go down. The physicality goes up. The whistle is blown less. So it's about physicality, mental toughness, who's going to play hard and compete for longer. I think you've got to give the Pacers credit. They competed at a higher level with physicality for longer.' Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers forward Max Strus during Game 4 of an Eastern Conference semifinal May 11, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana. More Cavs: Cleveland Cavaliers need Evan Mobley to be top player, not 'nonexistent' in playoffs For the Cavs, exhibiting toughness at times in the regular season has yet to consistently translate to requisite playoff grit. So how can the Cavs become tough enough to flourish when it really counts? Advertisement 'I think it can be learned through tough times,' Strus said. 'That's with anything in life. When you go through tough times, tough things, you kind of learn more about yourself and kind of who you want to become and who you are from those experiences.' Strus called the Cavs being eliminated by the Pacers in Round 2 'a wasted opportunity.' All he can do now is hope the Cavs come back with a vengeance in the playoffs this time next year. 'You can talk about it all you want,' Strus said. 'But until you actually show up and be about it, talking don't really matter.' Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@ On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs confess 'we got to get tougher' to succeed in NBA playoffs
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Max Strus' sad group text blows up after stunning Cavaliers elimination
Cavaliers wing Max Strus showed up physically, but that's about it. Facing the daunting task of being down 3-1 to the Pacers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, the Cavaliers needed a miracle, which never came as they were eliminated in Game 5, 114-105. Strus attempted to rally the team ahead of the elimination game, sending a group text to his teammates saying, 'If you don't believe, don't show up for work.' Advertisement Max Strus followed that up going 0/9 from the field and scoring zero points. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The reserve wing then followed that up by going a putrid 0-for-9 from the field and scoring zero points while adding seven rebounds and two assists. The story was told live on the TNT telecast before Game 5 by reporter Jared Greenberg. Advertisement 'A group text message was sent out to every single Cavalier player,' Greenberg said before reading the message, later adding that Strus did not believe the Cavaliers were done. The usually reliable sharpshooter had played well in the series from an offensive perspective, scoring 12.2 points per game, and entered Game 5 shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, the second-best figure on the team. Strus will now be watching the rest of the playoffs from home as the Pacers move on to face the winner of the Knicks vs. Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Advertisement The Knicks hold a 3-1 series edge with Game 5 in Boston on Wednesday night. Cleveland now heads into the offseason wondering what went wrong as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The series took a stunning turn when the Cavaliers blew a seven-point lead in the final 48 seconds of Game 2, sending them into a 2-0 deficit they were unable to fight back from. TNT's Jared Greenberg reads Max Strus' text message during the pregame show of Game 5. X ,@haterreport Advertisement The Cavaliers also dealt with health issues as Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, DeAndre Hunter, and Evan Mobley battled injuries in this series.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers (05/11): Box score, player stats, game summary and more
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers. Image via:The Indiana Pacers secured a solid 129-109 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 11th. Their Game 4 win gave the Pacers a huge boost in the series. The Cavs, who won 64 games this season, now find themselves on the verge of elimination after falling behind 3-1 to Indiana. Here is the box score, player stats, game summary, and everything you need to know about the Cleveland Cavaliers vs the Indiana Pacers matchup at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Cleveland Cavaliers: Box score and player stats Player MIN FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS +/- Max Strus (SF) 22:28:00 4 9 44.4 3 7 42.9 0 0 0 1 5 6 3 1 0 2 2 11 -22 Evan Mobley (PF) 26:42:00 3 7 42.9 2 4 50 2 2 100 1 4 5 0 1 0 2 2 10 -27 Jarrett Allen (C) 20:19:00 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 100 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 2 2 -24 Donovan Mitchell (SG) 20:15 3 11 27.3 1 5 20 5 6 83.3 1 0 1 0 1 1 2 0 12 -35 Darius Garland (PG) 27:10:00 6 11 54.5 1 5 20 8 8 100 0 1 1 6 1 0 3 5 21 -21 Ty Jerome 17:51 2 3 66.7 1 1 100 2 2 100 0 2 2 0 0 0 3 2 7 -4 De'Andre Hunter 15:46 0 4 0 0 2 0 5 6 83.3 0 4 4 1 0 1 3 5 5 -10 Sam Merrill 13:32 0 2 0 0 2 0 2 2 100 1 2 3 1 0 0 4 2 2 -9 Dean Wade 11:09:00 1 2 50 1 2 50 0 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 0 3 3 3 -13 Isaac Okoro 18:51 5 6 83.3 2 2 100 1 2 50 2 2 4 0 1 0 2 2 13 15 Javonte Green 7:20 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 100 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 Tristan Thompson 12:00 1 2 50 0 0 0 1 2 50 6 0 6 0 1 1 1 3 3 12 Jaylen Tyson 12:00 2 6 33.3 2 3 66.7 5 6 83.3 2 0 2 3 1 0 2 2 11 12 Craig Porter Jr. 9:57 2 4 50 1 1 100 0 0 0 1 1 2 4 1 0 0 0 5 14 Chuma Okeke 4:40 1 1 100 1 1 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 9 TOTALS 30 70 42.9 14 35 40 35 40 87.5 10 31 41 20 8 4 22 28 109 -26 The Cleveland Cavaliers game summary The Cleveland Cavaliers struggled on both ends of the floor in their latest playoff matchup. Operation Sindoor 'Our job is to hit target, not to count body bags': Air Marshal Bharti on Op Sindoor Precautionary blackout imposed across parts of Rajasthan, Punjab 'Indian Navy was in position to strike Karachi': Vice Admiral on Operation Sindoor They shot 42.9% from the field, going 30-for-70, and made 14 of 35 from three-point range. Their free throw shooting was solid at 87.5%, sinking 35 of 40 attempts. However, the offense never truly found its rhythm, and several key players had a tough night. Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers Full Highlights 1st Qtr | May 11 | 2025 NBA Highlights Donovan Mitchell had a rough game, scoring just 12 points while shooting 3-for-11 from the field. He also went 1-for-5 from three. Darius Garland led the team with 21 points, shooting 6-for-11 and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. Max Strus added 11 points, and Isaac Okoro chipped in 13, hitting all but one of his six shots. Despite a few strong individual efforts, the team's overall performance wasn't enough. Defensively, Cleveland couldn't keep up. Jarrett Allen played only 20 minutes and scored just 2 points. Evan Mobley added 10 points and 5 rebounds, but his impact was limited. The team allowed too many runs, and their -26 plus-minus reflected how outmatched they were throughout the game. Bench players like Jaylen Tyson and Ty Jerome tried to provide a spark, combining for 18 points. But turnovers and foul trouble continued to hurt the Cavs. They committed 22 turnovers and picked up 28 fouls. With the series slipping away, Cleveland now faces a tough road ahead. Indiana Pacers: Box score and player stats Player MIN FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS +/- Aaron Nesmith 22:46:00 4 8 50 2 4 50 2 2 100 0 1 1 4 0 0 1 2 12 27 Pascal Siakam 21:01:00 9 10 90 2 2 100 1 1 100 1 5 6 3 1 0 1 2 21 29 Myles Turner 21:43:00 7 13 53.8 4 4 100 2 3 66.7 3 4 7 0 0 1 2 2 20 24 Andrew Nembhard 6:27 3 7 42.9 1 2 50 0 0 0 2 1 3 7 3 0 1 1 7 22 Tyrese Haliburton 26:21:00 3 8 37.5 1 5 20 4 5 80 0 5 5 5 0 0 2 1 11 27 Obi Toppin 20:44 9 14 64.3 1 4 25 1 3 33.3 1 4 5 2 0 0 3 2 20 9 Bennedict Mathurin 1:20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 5 T.J. McConnell 18:08 5 9 55.6 1 2 50 2 2 100 0 2 2 8 1 0 1 3 13 9 Thomas Bryant 8:55:00 1 2 50 1 1 100 2 2 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 5 -1 Ben Sheppard 5:25 5 10 50 2 6 33.3 2 2 100 0 3 3 0 0 0 2 5 14 -7 Jarace Walker 13:35 2 8 25 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 4 4 -15 Johnny Furphy 10:21 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 4 0 0 -15 Tony Bradley 7:37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -7 James Johnson 7:37 1 2 50 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 2 0 2 2 2 -7 TOTALS 49 93 52.7 15 35 42.9 16 20 80 8 29 37 36 6 2 27 29 129 -26 Indiana Pacers game summary The Indiana Pacers had a strong offensive showing in their latest outing, putting up 129 points on 52.7% shooting from the field. Pascal Siakam led the way with a near-flawless performance, hitting 9 of 10 shots for 21 points in just over 21 minutes. He also added 6 rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Myles Turner chipped in 20 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three, along with seven rebounds. Obi Toppin matched Turner's scoring with 20 points off the bench on 64.3% shooting. Tyrese Haliburton didn't have a big scoring night, finishing with 11 points, but he played a solid all-around game. He added five rebounds and five assists while going 4-for-5 at the free throw line. Andrew Nembhard also contributed with seven points and 3 assists. T.J. McConnell provided a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points and dishing out eight assists in 18 minutes. Also Read: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets (05/11): Box score, player stats, game summary and more Ben Sheppard showed good scoring instincts, finishing with 14 points while hitting 2-of-6 from beyond the arc. The Pacers had 36 assists as a team, showing good ball movement. However, turnovers were an issue—they committed 27 of them, which helped the opponent stay in the game. On defense, they grabbed a total of 37 rebounds but only had two blocks and six steals.
New York Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How the Cavaliers' injured players fought through pain to win Game 3
INDIANAPOLIS — This story is not going to be about Donovan Mitchell scoring more than 40 points in a playoff game, again, although that's exactly what he did Friday night in what his coach said was his 'best performance of the year.' Nor will it be about Max Strus, who scored 20 points with seven rebounds, seven assists and four quarters of defensive harassment against Tyrese Haliburton, who was taken out of his game. Mitchell's coach, Strus' coach, said Strus is 'becoming our forceful leader … our enforcer.' Advertisement You also aren't going to read about Ty Jerome's struggles in this series, not past this paragraph, even though a runner-up for NBA Sixth Man of the Year has lost his shot and, through three games, hasn't been quick enough to stay with the Indiana Pacers' speedy guards. Kenny Atkinson — you know, Mitchell's coach, Strus' coach and Jerome's coach — said: 'I love Ty. I know what he can bring. We need him. We need him in this series.' Any of these topics would make for excellent discussion after the Cavs' 126-104 Game 3 win over the Pacers, which cut their deficit in this Eastern Conference semifinal series to 2-1 with Game 4 Sunday. But this space is meant to tie a bow around the dominant story surrounding Cleveland this week: injuries to three vitally important players that were described to the public as though any of them could have been played through in Game 2 when, in fact, none of them likely could have. Then, they all returned for Game 3 with their team's season on the brink. Of course that's the story. And hopefully for the Cavs, it's one that is, for all intents and purposes, over. A collective page has been turned, and the remainder of this series will feature strength on strength. 'We (only) get one day recovery here, so a quick turnaround,' Atkinson said. 'Just hope they can … be ready to go (Sunday).' Atkinson, of course, was talking about Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter, who all returned Friday after missing at least one game — in Garland's case, four in a row. Statistically speaking, Mobley, whose left foot was in a walking boot Sunday night and Monday after spraining his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 1, was the best of the three returnees with 18 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and three steals. He caught lobs and slammed them home, and at least two of his blocks were of the soaring variety; Mobley met teardrop shots high in the sky before they were on their way down, so as to avoid a goaltend. Advertisement Garland, who has been dealing with a sprained left big toe since the end of Game 2 against the Miami Heat more than two weeks ago, shot 3-of-11 and committed four turnovers but scored 10 points. His mere presence on the court, with the ball in his hands as the Cavs set up their offense, paid enormous dividends for Mitchell, who didn't have the added pressure of handling the ball in addition to scoring, and for the team at large, having fumbled away Game 2 primarily because it couldn't get the ball up the court without Garland. 💯 @dariusgarland22 | #LetEmKnow — Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 10, 2025 Hunter, who sprained his thumb in Game 1 against the Pacers on Sunday, scored 8 points and shot 2-of-6. His performance is probably the hardest to measure of the three in terms of impact, but he was needed when absent Tuesday and will surely be counted on as the series moves along. Collectively, though, numbers aside, the three players coming back while clearly less than whole meant everything to the Cavs. 'We appreciate them fighting through whatever they're going through,' Strus said. 'We're grateful for them, and hopefully they can do it again on Sunday.' Mobley could barely put pressure on his left ankle Tuesday for Game 2, and Hunter's thumb was too swollen for him to shoot. With Garland, there was perhaps more of a chance heading into Tuesday morning that he might play — he had told several people he intended to play — but ultimately, the pain was too much and he was out again. After Tuesday's game, I reported, citing two league sources who do not work for the Cavs but know them well, that Cleveland is one of the most conservative teams in the NBA when it comes to injury management. As far as players are concerned, this is a positive thing. It tells them, and maybe potential free agents down the line, that the Cavs are willing to protect their players. Advertisement Which is why these 'questionable' designations on injury reports for players who are not going to be able to play, for playoff games, are confounding. Listing them as 'questionable' is the opposite of protecting them, at least in the court of public opinion. Fans and national TV analysts who were ripping these players all week know what 'questionable' is supposed to mean, and in their minds, there shouldn't be a question in the playoffs. If a player could play, he should try. People don't — and I am not saying they should — spend much time considering that perhaps the franchise is trying to play mind games with the opponent by making it think injured players might suit up. What has happened — last year with Jarrett Allen and this year with Garland (and Hunter and Mobley for one game) — is Cavs fans questioning why players aren't trying to fight through injuries in the playoffs, especially when the team is losing. No one wins in that situation. 'Y'all don't understand what I'm going through,' Garland said after Friday's win. 'I mean, everybody has their opinion. I'm going out there and playing basketball. Everybody has their nicks and bruises around this time. So, going out and trying to win the series.' Garland said he played Friday because the Cavs were trailing 0-2 in the series. He didn't want to discuss his injury. For instance, he was asked how much pain he was playing through and said 'none,' which obviously wasn't true. 'I know DG. Obviously, he's playing through some stuff,' Atkinson said in a nod toward the obvious, which is that Garland is hurting. 'Just our ability to get the ball over half court. Game 2 we lost in Cleveland because we really struggled with their pressure. It was great to have him back.' Atkinson also said Garland was 'taking one for the team' by playing through considerable pain. 'I think the 2-0 situation, he had to push through a lot tonight,' Atkinson said. 'So, hopefully he recovers. Even if we can get 15 to 20 minutes from him, we need it. We need another ballhandler. He can create separation, he can create advantages, even if it's not going to be perfect with the way his health is right now.' Mobley said he wanted to play in Game 2, but 'I definitely couldn't' with the severely limited weight he could put on his left foot Tuesday. After the Cavs lost, he was determined to play the next game, as of Wednesday morning. OOP there is is! #LetEmKnow — Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 10, 2025 Mobley said he wasn't surprised by how well he played — he was comfortable at practice Thursday and at the morning shootaround Friday — but he looked like the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a young man who is about to learn he was voted onto an All-NBA team. Other than a few shaky moments early on with dropping bounce passes to him, Mobley showed few signs of rust or limitations. He was also at the head of a 3-2 zone Atkinson unleashed on the Pacers, which suffocated them and seemed like a brilliant maneuver, though Atkinson said the Cavs used the new defense because of their injuries. Advertisement If Cleveland is planning on getting only a fraction of Garland's best, and hoping it's enough, it has to be comforting for it to know it's getting close to the best version of Mobley straight away. As for Hunter, we didn't get a chance to speak with him Friday (not his fault — reporters didn't approach him). His thumb looked swollen, but he made a 3-pointer and added five rebounds in about 21 minutes. He moved well, and he'll probably feel more comfortable shooting Sunday. 'We're a different team out there,' Atkinson said, meaning the Cavs are much better with those three in uniform. If they stay in uniform, this storyline ends. They can get to writing that next chapter — the one where maybe, just maybe, the Cavs become the sixth NBA team to lose the first two games at home but eventually win the series. (Photo of Evan Mobley and Bennedict Mathurin: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mitchell the man to end Cavs' NBA playoff slide
Donovan Mitchell has refused to let another fourth-quarter lead slip away from Cleveland. So with home fans on their feet, expecting Indiana to cut what had been a 24-point deficit to single digits, Mitchell took the game into his own hands. He hit a 13-foot fadeaway, then a pull-up three-pointer and finally found Max Strus for another triple and the Cavaliers went on to a 126-104 victory on Friday night. "I couldn't let it happen again, and it wasn't just me," Mitchell said after finishing with 43 points and nine rebounds to cut their Eastern Conference semi-final series deficit to 2-1. "I know I scored, but like, we got stops, made plays. But for me, just trying to be the aggressor." The road team has won all three games, and the Pacers will have another chance to break that trend Sunday in Game 4. Donovan Mitchell was UNSTOPPABLE in the @cavs Game 3 road win!🕷️ 43 points🕷️ 9 rebounds🕷️ 5 assists🕷️ 5 threesCleveland looks to tie the series Sunday at 8:00pm/et on TNT 🍿 — NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2025 But Cleveland were desperate to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole and used everything in their arsenal to hold on. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and key backup De'Andre Hutner returned from injuries after missing Game 2. All-Star guard Darius Garland also returned from a toe injury that kept him out of four straight games. Strus made four triples and had 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a game the Cavs never trailed. Bennedict Mathurin led the hosts with 23 points. Pascal Siakam had 18 and Tyrese Haliburton finished with four points and five assists — his first career home loss in a post-season game he's appeared. "This was a very poor effort at the beginning of the game, through so many parts of the game," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "Clearly, I didn't have these guys ready for this. Ty had a rough game. I have to do more to get him in better positions to have better shots." Tempers flared at times with the Pacers drawing five technical fouls. On the court, though, Cleveland controlled the game after breaking a 36-36 tie with a 25-4 run, which gave them a 66-45 halftime cushion. Indiana closed to 104-93 early in the fourth before Mitchell and Strus led the game-sealing scoring flurry.
