Max Strus Starts for Cavaliers in Game 5 Over Dean Wade
max strus is in the Cavaliers’ starting lineup for Game 5 against the Raptors after Kenny Atkinson replaced Dean Wade for Wednesday’s matchup. Cleveland made the switch after two losses in Toronto, where the offense averaged 96.5 points per game.
Kenny Atkinson turns to Strus
Atkinson said before the game that Strus brings playoff experience and a different set of traits to the group. “He’s got a lot of experience in the playoffs.”
He added: “I think it’s experience, savvy, know-how, IQ, connector, all those things. They translate. Those characteristics translate into playoffs.”
The coach also said, “I think he’s played pretty well.” and “I don’t judge just solely on making and missing shots. He’s an important piece to what we do.”
Strus fits Cleveland’s offense
The change comes after Cleveland shot 36.8% from the field and 25% from three-point range on Sunday. Atkinson’s move gives the Cavaliers a different look in the first five, with Strus returning to a role he has handled before in the postseason.
Strus has reached the playoffs every year since 2021 and has a 36-32 postseason record. He was a starter for the Miami team that reached the NBA Finals in 2023.
Dean Wade’s run ends
Wade had not been part of the starting five when healthy since December 14, and he had helped neutralize Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes through the first four games of the series. That made the change more of an offensive adjustment than a complete reset of Cleveland’s plan.
Strus has scored 24, 6, 15 and 1 point in the four games of the series and shot 40.2% from beyond the arc in 12 games after returning from a broken foot in mid-March. He was minus-16 and minus-15 in the two losses, so the starting switch puts his shooting back at the center of Cleveland’s response.
The Cavaliers need the lineup change to show up quickly. Game 5 now starts with Strus, and Cleveland is betting the move can pull the offense away from the low-scoring stretch that opened the door for Toronto.
