Max Strus isnāt really known for his hops, but heāll show you that he has that from time to time. Take for example the monster one-handed jam he unleashed in the fourth quarter of Wednesday nightās game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers, with the Cavs sharpshooter taking off and throwing one down hard.
Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell, just like all the other Cleveland players, was left in a state of disbelief after Strusā posterization of Blazers center Duop Reath, who was also called with a foul on that play.
So good was Strusā dunk that Mitchell said it was one of the best heās seen this season.
āEasily one of the best ones of the year. I didnāt think he was gonna go off one foot. You saw my reaction. I was in shock. Heās sneaky athletic, as they sayā, Mitchell said of his Cavs teammate (h/t Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com).
Cavs big man Evan Mobley was also impressed.
āThat was crazy! That was like a big man dunk,ā Mobley said after the game, per Serena Winters.
Strus finished the game with 14 points and shot just 1-for-7 from behind the arc. He is being mostly utilized as a floor-stretcher by the Cavs, but when his shots arenāt falling, he can contribute in other ways and find means to make a positive impact on the game ā like putting someone on a poster.
Strus, who signed a four-year, $62.3 million deal with the Cavs in the last offseason, is averaging 14.3 points so far in the 2023-24 NBA campaign.