On the road to the Cleveland Cavaliers starting 15-0, they had to switch some things up during their game against the Charlotte Hornets. After giving up 40 points in the third quarter, the Cavs went into a zone, and thanks to help of Max Strus from the bench, they were able to take control and eventually win the game.

“It’s an excellent zone, it’s an excellent scheme about how we guard the zone, shoutout to Max [Strus],” Jarrett Allen said after the game, via SB Nation’s Jackson Flickinger. “He kind of put the zone in. He was a coach for a day, telling us where to be, and how to guard certain things.”

“[We’re] still learning from him even though he’s on the sideline,” Darius Garland said. “He’s still preaching about the zone. So even at film [sessions], he’s standing up [at] the board, like pointing where we need to be. So it’s good to see. I mean he knows it really well. Coach Max is doing pretty good.”

Strus has not suited up for the Cavs this season after suffering a right ankle injury during a workout right before the start of the season. There’s a good chance that Strus could return sometime in December, but as of now, he’s helping in any way that he can while he’s sidelined.

The Cavs are now 15-0

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) warms up before game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

David Butler II-Imagn Images

You may also likeArticle continues below
Cavs’ Jarrett Allen sounds off on looming revenge game vs. Celtics
Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland join forces to make NBA history amid 15-0 start
Why Donovan Mitchell is out vs. Hornets as Cavs go for 15-0
The Donovan Mitchell trick the Cavs are using amid historic 14-0 start

The Cavs had a tall task to get their win against the Hornets with Donovan Mitchell out due to rest. It was a tight game until the fourth quarter, where the Cavs locked down defensively and held the Hornets to 15 points in the quarter. Four players finished the game with 20-plus points, with Darius Garland leading the way with 25 points and 12 assists. One of the main reasons for the win was the zone defense they played in the fourth quarter.

“The zone definitely saved us,” Darius Garland said. “They were just getting downhill, they’re playing five out, so none of our rim protectors were in the paint. [They were] just driving it and had the swing, swings for wide open threes.”

The Cavs are still the only undefeated team left in the league, and if they keep playing like this, they may be breaking some records soon with the winning streak. Their next game will be a big one as they face the Boston Celtics in the group stage play of the NBA Cup, and they’re the two teams sitting atop the Eastern Conference right now.