DETROIT — [The Cavs](https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/) will be without Max Strus for Friday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons, as the sharpshooter sits out the second night of a back-to-back due to right ankle injury management.
He joins Ty Jerome (knee soreness) and Jaylon Tyson (left knee bone bruise) on the sideline, leaving the Cavs without a key piece in their perimeter attack.
For a player who fought his way back onto the court after missing the first 27 games of the season with a right ankle injury, Strus doesn’t take any opportunity to play lightly.
In Thursday’s win over the San Antonio Spurs, he showed no obvious signs of being limited — beyond a black wrap on his ankle during timeouts and a hand wrap that he’s sported during the Cavs’ grueling March stretch after banging bodies with an Orlando Magic player before their 10-day road trip.
But that hasn’t slowed him down.
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Strus’ non-stop movement, floor-spacing, and quick-trigger shooting have made him indispensable in Kenny Atkinson’s system.
His presence alone bends defenses and forces them to make decisions they don’t want to make. If he’s running off screens, a defender has to chase. If he’s spotting up, a closeout is mandatory.
The Cavs’ offensive surge this season has been in large part due to Strus making life easier for Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley by simply existing in the right places.
Not to mention, he’s been reliable with his shooting. He’s knocked down at least one three in 10 straight games, including a season-high 24-point outburst with five triples mixed in.
Still, the Cavs are going to play it safe.
They’re not in the business of taking unnecessary risks with the postseason in sight, and the fact that this is the same ankle Strus injured in a preseason workout makes caution even more imperative. The decision to rest him for a game where the Cavs should still have enough firepower to handle a Cade Cunningham-less Pistons team signals long-term thinking.
Strus’ availability in late April and May matters more than forcing the issue in late March. But given his track record, he’ll be fighting to get back on the floor, likely with the same relentless energy that has made him such a vital part of this team’s success.