This is called a “buzzer beater”.
A real.
Max Strus scored one of the baskets of the year at the buzzer to give the Cleveland Cavaliers victory against the Dallas Mavericks (121-119) this Tuesday evening in the NBA.
A shot which concludes a crazy last quarter for the Cleveland winger.
Dallas, driven by the 75 points of the duo Luka Doncic (45) and Kyrie Irving (30), still had a 10-unit lead with less than four minutes remaining in the match.
But this is precisely the moment that Max Strus chose to pull out the (very) big game, by first hitting four winning shots, which allowed Cleveland to come back to within one point (113-112) .
But in the final seconds, the Mavericks regained the lead thanks to a layup from PJ Washington.
" That's crazy !
»
With 2.6 seconds left and the entire field moving up, it took a monumental feat for the Cavaliers to win.
This is where Max Strus showed his talent by scoring an incredible basket from his own half, at the buzzer.
Strus' victorious shot was followed by trance-filled scenes at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and ignited the networks, even arousing the admiration of Kansas City Chiefs star player Travis Kelce, recent Superbowl winner and Cavs fan, in a fiery exchange with his quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
WHAT A SHOT!
Max Strus wins it in Cleveland with a HALFCOURT SHOT at the buzzer 🚨 #TissotBuzzerBeater #YourTimeDefinesYourGreatness pic.twitter.com/EPtvANMNhr
— NBA (@NBA) February 28, 2024
The hero of the day, aged 27, has remained fairly sober.
“It was crazy but it’s a big victory, we needed it.
We've been struggling lately, so it feels good to get one like that,” added the former Miami Heat player, author of 21 points in total.
Logically, he attracted the praise of his trainer.
“The way he plays, the determination, this mentality of never giving up, it inspires these teammates every day,” said JB Bickerstaff.
MAX STRUS.
COLD.
🚨🥶 pic.twitter.com/PzPx4N4kZX
— NBA (@NBA) February 28, 2024
The Cavs of Donovan Mitchell, author of 31 points, thus consolidate their second place in the East with a record of 38 victories and 19 defeats, while Dallas, 8th, will have to continue to jostle in the West.