Where Max Strus' buzzer-beater ranks in NBA history in terms of distance
Remember when Tracy McGrady scored 13 points in 33 seconds to stun the Spurs in 2004?
On Tuesday, Cavaliers guard Max Strus didn't quite go that berserk but did produce a performance for the ages, making four threes within 67 seconds, followed by the ultimate dagger to seal the win.
The final shot — his fifth three within the last four minutes of the game — was a hail mary if there ever was one.
With just 2.9 seconds left, the Cavs, trailing by a point, were out of timeouts and had to get up a shot from anywhere on the court. After a quick inbound to Evan Mobley, the ball found its way to the hot hand of Strus, who let it rip from well beyond midcourt.
According to NBA.com data, Strus' shot was made from 58.6 feet, making it the second-farthest game-winner since the tracking technology was installed in 1997.
Only Devonte' Graham's 61.3 feet prayer in December 2021 was made from a longer distance.
After the game, Strus said he knew the ball was going in the second it left his hand. He also reminded reporters that he made a similar shot as a freshman at Lewis University.
"I had space, I don't know. I just shot it," Strus said, via The Athletic. "At my Division II [college team], I made a three-quarter-court shot to win the game. I think it was No. 1 on ESPN [SportsCenter]."
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic, whose game-high 45 points went in vain, tipped his hat to Strus, while placing some blame on himself for not playing better defense on the Cavs guard.
"Incredible shot. That was just an incredible shot," Doncic said, via ESPN. "It was my fault. I should have pressed forward [on Strus]. I thought we played a good game, but that was rough, obviously."
The Cavs (38-19) are 20-5 since the start of 2024. Although still not a top-eight betting favorite to win the NBA Finals, analyst Candace Parker feels they could stun the world this postseason.
"Cavs are whole and healthy. Donovan [Mitchell] has played well all year. Now, he's got Mobley and [Darius] Garland back, with Strus shooting the way he’s shooting. Talk about a dark horse!" Parker said on “Inside the NBA” on TNT.
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