A tipped pass was just the start of the tumult between the Dallas Mavericks and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
The fun began with the Mavericks trailing 118-117 with 8.3 seconds left. Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber nearly lost the game with a misplaced pass to Luka Doncic, who still came down with the ball and darted to the basket for a game-winning try.
Understandably, most of the Cavaliers' defenders failed Doncic. That left Mavericks forward PJ Washington wide open under the basket for a layup.
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, there were 2.6 seconds left on the clock, which was just enough time for Cavaliers wing Max Strus to grab the ball and hit a 59-foot buzzer-beater that cleared the roof of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse exploded.
The Cavaliers win 121-119.
Another perspective:
That's not even the end of the madness at work here from Strus. Here's how the Cavaliers' possession ended in the final four minutes:
Max Stru's 3-pointer
Max Stru's 3-pointer
Max Stru's 3-pointer
Max Stru's 3-pointer
Donovan Mitchell 3-pointer (after a Strus rebound)
Darius Garland missing
Donovan Mitchell misses
Donovan Mitchell 3-pointer
Evan Mobley turnover
Max Stru's 3-pointer
The Cavaliers started down 110-100 and scored 21 points in four minutes, 15 of them from Strus (and all from 3-pointers).
Strus finished the game with 21 points on 7 of 12 shooting (7 of 10 from distance), which was just enough to spoil Doncic's big night of 45 points, 14 assists, nine rebounds, three steals and a turnover. It's been a pretty solid season so far since Strus signed a four-year, $63 million sign-and-trade deal with Cleveland.