Max Strus felt he could not miss in his best game since making his Cavaliers return

Max Strus did not play almost the whole season after nursing a Jones fracture he sustained during the offseason. He returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers rotation in March 2026, which is just a few weeks before the regular season's conclusion.

Now, Strus looks like he is getting accustomed to the NBA pace again. He had his best performance since his return against the Miami Heat on Friday, as he hit eight three-pointers en route to a big 29-point game.

Strus felt back to his best since returning from his injury

In the 2024-25 season, Strus was a key member of the Cavaliers' rotation. He was superb as one of the regular members of the rotation of a team that was first in the Eastern Conference.

His perimeter shooting is one of the Cavaliers' biggest weapons. Strus was a massive missing piece for the Cavs this season, which was apparent during their slow start to the 2025-26 season.

MORE: Max Strus makes emotional return from his long-term foot injury

Now that Strus has returned, he is back to his best. This game against the Heat was the game he needed to boost his confidence.

Since he returned, Strus has not been the most productive of players, but this could be the game-changer for the Cavaliers.

"Like I can't miss. Just trying to find a way to make an open shot. Just one, looking for the next one, if I made that, look for the next one. Nights like that are special, they don't come as often as I would like them to, but gotta take advantage of them when they do, those nights could be special," Strus said after the Cavs beat the Heat.

As the Cavaliers progress toward the 2026 postseason, they could become one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference again.

It was a slight hiccup in their earlier game against the Heat, but Strus and the Cavs bounced back and proved they are the better team.

More NBA news: 

• Donovan Mitchell admits that his eye injury looks much worse than it feels
• The Cleveland Cavaliers prove how dangerous they are during fourth quarters of games
• James Harden admits there are still some problems with the Cavaliers
• The Bucks wanted Evan Mobley in a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo swap
• Doc Rivers loves what he is seeing from James Harden in Cleveland