With Game 7 in the balance Sunday, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus randomly headbutted Toronto Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes. He was issued a flagrant 1 foul after a replay review. He was lucky to have avoided a flagrant 2 penalty and an ejection. The incident took place late in the third quarter as the Cavaliers held a 76-61 lead. Cleveland had just scored a bucket, and Barnes took the inbounds pass under the basket on Torontos ensuing possession. Then apparently unprovoked Strus leaned down and drove the crown of his head into Barnes chin.Max Strus Flagrant foul on Scottie Barnes. pic.twitter.com/Fs3zSUnaGI Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 4, 2026Heres the full sequence.Officials immediately blew the play dead before the NBC broadcast realized what had happened. Stus was initially called for a personal foul that was upgraded to a flagrant 1 upon review.Strus pleaded his case before the review, but its hard to explain as anything other than it was an unprovoked headbutt to the face of an opponent.Max Strus headbutts Scottie Barnes in the chin, in the Raptors' backcourt. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant penalty-1 (with replays)How the hell was he not ejected for it?It was not a basketball play. pic.twitter.com/kXdbu98rL6 MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) May 4, 2026The result of the flagrant 1 foul was two free throws for Barnes and retention of possession by the Raptors. Barnes hit both free throws and then hit a jump shot for a four-point possession that cut Clevelands lead 76-65. But could have ended up much worse for Strus and the Cavaliers. Its difficult to argue that Strus headbutt was any sort of basketball play. It could have and probably should have resulted in a flagrant 2 penalty and Strus ejection. But Strus was allowed to remain in the game as the Cavaliers and Raptors battled down the stretch with a trip to the second round of the playoffs at stake.