Max Strus has been taking the initiative in the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room to be the team’s vocal leader; after all, Strus was the only one on the roster who’s made it all the way to the NBA Finals in the past, so he knows what it takes to be there for his team right in the trenches. In fact, prior to the Cavs’ season-ending 114-105 Game 5 loss to the Indiana Pacers, Strus reportedly sent a text to the team group chat, saying that “if you don’t believe, then don’t show up for work.”
While Strus meant well with that text as he was simply rallying his team with the hope of igniting a spark that could lead to a 3-1 comeback, this text backfired rather quickly for the Cavs veteran. The 29-year-old wing may as well not have shown up during his team’s Game 5 loss, as he proceeded to go scoreless while missing all nine of his attempts from the field.
This is a rather embarrassing way to go out for Strus, who’s actually been one of the Cavs’ most consistent performers during their five-game series loss to the Pacers. It’s all the more embarrassing for him when it’s supposed to be him who should show up for his team and yet he vanished completely and was a complete black hole on offense in their season-ending loss.
“Max Strus shouldnt dribble another basketball in cleveland,” X user @Mike_Coop20 wrote.
“Max Strus sent the Cavaliers group chat a text that read “If you don’t believe, then don’t show up for work” and proceeds to have this performance 😂,” @hennyruggsiii added.
“LMAO strus should be the last brother texting anybody about anything,” @BreezeFMB furthered.
“max strus was a great example all series that talk is f**kin cheap,” @Israfil_Twitch exclaimed.
Cavs collapse in the playoffs yet again
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
The Cavs’ playoff exits over the past three years have grown progressively more heartbreaking. In 2023, they lost because the lights became too bright. In 2024, they faced a deluge of injury problems that gave them zero chance against the eventual champion Boston Celtics. And then this year, the Cavs saw their dream 64-win season come to a premature end after wilting under the pressure against the Pacers.
The Cavs looked like a shell of their dominant regular-season selves; after posting the best offensive rating in the NBA this past season, they couldn’t buy a field goal in Game 5, with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Max Strus combining to go 12-40 from the field.
