Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus hit a crucial three-pointer in a playoff win against the Toronto Raptors. This followed a six-month recovery from a foot injury that sidelined him for 67 regular season games. The shot ignited the home crowd at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Coach Kenny Atkinson called the play during the third quarter of the series opener. It involved James Harden faking a handoff to a sprinting Max Strus. Harden then drove toward the paint, drawing the defense before passing.
The ball moved from Harden to Dean Wade and then to Sam Merrill. Merrill attacked a closeout and passed to Strus in the corner. Strus buried the three-pointer before the Raptors defense could recover.
The sellout crowd rose and waved blue and white rally towels. During his long recovery, Strus envisioned moments like this. He pictured hitting big shots and feeling the crowd’s energy.
“Something you love is taken away from you and it’s hard to deal with that,” Strus told cleveland.com. “You just want to be out there. You just want to help.”
Strus said wanting to play but being physically unable was the hardest part. He stated that making it back to the playoffs made the struggle worthwhile. The Cavaliers won the game 126-113.
After making the shot, Strus backpedaled on defense with a signature celebration. He put both arms over his head with three fingers on each hand extended. He repeatedly spread his fingers apart in a tribute to the Chicago Bears.
Strus is an Illinois native and a diehard Chicago sports fan. The celebration is a variation of the Bears’ first-down signal. The moment capped an emotional return to the court for the veteran guard.
