Max Strus, James Harden hustle plays give Cavs needed grit vs Pistons

DETROIT — If the Cavaliers end up winning their second-round series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, it can be said that Max Strus stole it from right under the Detroit Pistons' noses. The Cavs won a crucial Game 5 117-11 3 on May 13 in Detroit to take a 3-2 series lead. They'll have a chance to take out the Pistons in Game 6 on May 16 at Rocket Arena.

It was their first win on the road in the 2026 playoffs. And it was the second time in three games Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson credited a Strus steal as the biggest play of the game. With 2:39 left in overtime and the Cavs leading by two, Donovan Mitchell drilled a 3-pointer — his first 3 of the entire night — to put Cleveland up 110-105.

The ball was inbounded to Cade Cunningham with the Pistons desperately needing to answer on the other end of the floor. Except Cunningham never made it that far with the ball. Instead, Strus ran behind Cunningham and poked the ball away for a steal, and a moment later hit Mitchell with a bounce pass for an easy layup.

Within a matter of seconds, a tight two-point advantage became a commanding seven-point lead. It was the sequence that broke Detroit's back. "Max Strus' steal.