The best performances for Cleveland Cavaliers in Week 5

Max Strus is the perfect glue guy in Cleveland

Every contender needs their Kentavious Caldwell-Pope type of glue guy. They are not an All-Star, but they will be just as memorable as your team's best player during any trip to the Finals. For Cleveland, that man has been Max Strus.

Strus and Mobley have been the only Cavaliers starters who have appeared in all 17 games this year. In those games, Strus is averaging a career high 14.4 points, 3.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds all while shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range on 7.6 attempts per night. For Strus to open the season with a career high in almost every major statistic is miles beyond what any expectation suggested Strus would be for the Cavs.

Not only has Strus lit it up from deep, his playmaking with Evan Mobley has been phenomenal. Strus has assisted Mobley 22 times so far, the most of anybody on the team. His presence is a catalyst for the Cavaliers going forward, especially once playoffs arrive.

Against the Raptors, Strus looked like a man possessed. After going scoreless in the first half, the veteran wing dropped 20 points in the third quarter and forced made a nubmer of critical defensive plays to put the Cavs on top.

Entering this year, if Strus was nothing more than a 3-point specialist, the Cavs would have been grateful. Instead, he is an prototypical 3-and-D wing who never gives up on even a single play. Ever. The Cavaliers knew they needed to be better on the perimeter without sacrificing too much defense. Strus has been one of the best two-way threats for the Cavaliers in the early season is looking to be worth every penny Cleveland signed him to this offseason.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will have their next game on Tuesday, November 28 against the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30pm Eastern Time for their final In-Season Tournament group stage game. They will host the Hawks at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse for one final shot at a Wild Card spot in the upcoming Knock Out Stage.