Cavs Insider

The Cavaliers Just Did This For The First Time In Over Five Years

According to @CavsNotes on X, Max Strus' game-winning heave on Tuesday night was Cleveland's first game-winning buzzer-beater since December 18, 2018.

Logan Potosky

The Cavaliers Just Did This For The First Time In Over Five Years
The Cavaliers Just Did This For The First Time In Over Five Years /
In this story:

Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers had one of the wildest finishes to a game in NBA history.

Swingman Max Strus drained a 59-foot shot at the buzzer to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 121-119.

If you thought it had been a while since the Wine and Gold made a game-winning shot at the buzzer, then you thought correctly.

This is because according to @CavsNotes on X, Strus’ miracle heave was Cleveland’s first game-winning buzzer-beater was the team’s first since Larry Nance Jr.’s game-winning tip-in against the Indiana Pacers on December 18, 2018.

The Cavaliers’ last game-winner had quite the contrast from last night’s shot. According to Bally Sports Cleveland, Strus' shot was the second-longest game-winning buzzer-beater in the NBA's three-point era, which began in the 1979-80 season.

Feb 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) is doused with water after hitting a last-second, game-winning three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Strus, however, is no stranger to game-winners from way beyond the arc. After the game, he was asked if he had ever made a shot like last night’s to win a game before.

He had indeed.

“Yeah, at my Division II school [Lewis University].” Strus said. “I made a three-quarter court shot to win a game.”

The shot he referenced happened on January 16, 2016, during his sophomore collegiate season. With 2.7 seconds remaining in a tie game, Strus caught a deflected inbound pass and made a 75-foot shot at the buzzer to defeat the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

His latest game-winning heave gave the Wine and Gold their second consecutive victory, and first at home since the NBA All-Star Break.

The Cavaliers seek their sixth winning streak of three games or more this season when they face the Chicago Bulls on the road tonight at 8 p.m.

Published
Logan Potosky
LOGAN POTOSKY

Logan Potosky is an aspiring play-by-play sports broadcaster who, to date, has called approximately 350+ hours of professional, college, and high school sporting events. He is currently the Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. He graduated from John Carroll University in May of 2023 with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Digital Media, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Home/News