Max Strus Is The Miami Heat's Most Consistent Fill-In Guy

Strus delivers once again in Jimmy Butler's absence against Boston Celtics

The thing that impresses Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra about Max Strus is his versatility. 

So far this season, he has filled in for everyone from Kyle Lowry to Tyler Herro to Jimmy Butler in the starting lineup. On Tuesday, he scored 13 points against the Boston Celtics, all in the first quarter, while replacing the injured Butler. 

It was Strus' career-high 25th start. 

“You can look at either positively or negatively and that’s what I tell him,” Spoelstra said. “Like, isn’t this what you always wanted? Come in there and play a big role, whether it’s off the bench or starting. You know, like, what else do you want? Like, that’s great to be able to plug in and play in a lot of different roles and he was able to do that.”

Butler was a late scratch from the lineup because of back tightness but it was no problem for Strus. He has grown accustomed to role of staying ready when needed. 

Strus scores 14 points a game when he starts, two above his season average. 

“It was really important,” Spoelstra said. “He knocked down some big roles but he also did a bunch of good things in the zone, as well. Because there were a lot of things we had to negotiate and cover a lot of ground.”

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Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog HERE.