Prior to Game 5 of the Cavaliers` second-round playoff series, guard Max Strus reportedly sent a challenging text message to his teammates. According to TNT`s Jared Greenberg, Strus` message in the team group chat was: “If you don’t believe, then don’t show up for work.”
However, Strus` attempt at motivation seemed to backfire spectacularly on a personal level. In the decisive Game 5 loss to the Pacers (114-105), Strus failed to score a single point, shooting 0-for-9 from the field. He did contribute with seven rebounds and two assists.
The series itself was inconsistent for Strus. While he averaged 12.2 points over the five games, including reaching the 20-point mark in two contests, he also had low-scoring games, like just seven points in Game 1. Overall, his field goal percentage for the series was 38.6%.
The Pacers` victory in Game 5 saw them overcome a 19-point first-half deficit. Key contributions came from Tyrese Haliburton, who led all scorers with 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting, and Pascal Siakam, who added 21 points and eight rebounds.
Had the Cavaliers secured a win in Game 5, Strus` pre-game message might have been celebrated as a powerful moment of inspiration. Instead, the team faced elimination, bringing an end to what was otherwise a remarkable regular season where they had earned the Eastern Conference`s top seed.
Jasper Hawthorne