Max Strus has not been himself in the NBA Finals. Over the first four games of the series the starting shooting guard for the Heat is averaging 4.34.3 points, 4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 23.3 minutes of play.
In Game 1 and 4 the 27-year-old player went scoreless. Gabe Vincent, who is in Miami’s starting backcourt with Strus, scored just 2 points in Game 4.
Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith unloaded on Strus as slammed his zero-point performances in the most important series of the season.
“Max Strus and Gabe Vincent is the starting backcourt for the Miami Heat. They combined to score two points… How the hell are you starting backcourt for the Miami Heat and can only score two points?” Smith went on a rant.
“Let’s put it in perspective. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is? Two points for a starting backcourt! Not one individual! Two points for a starting backcourt and for an NBA team in the NBA Finals.
“And you’re Max Strus, who by the way people couldn’t even remember how to pronounce your name until you got to the damn Finals, now we want to forget how to pronounce your name. There’s two times as the starting shooting guard for the Miami Heat and in these NBA Finals that you went scoreless… I think it’s fair to say I could go scoreless…
“Why are you wearing an NBA uniform, let alone starting for the Eastern Conference champion that is the Miami Heat. And all you could produce is zero points twice in the first four games… It is embarrassing, it is disgraceful and it’s a damn shame that Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are not receiving the support it deserves.”
Strus averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 28.4 minutes per game during the regular season.
