Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Betting Preview – Sunday Night Showdown
The Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers meet for the fourth and final time this season, with Cleveland looking to complete a season sweep. The Bucks will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back after a tough 111-109 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, snapping their four-game win streak.
Milwaukee trailed by as many as 17 in the second half before a late push fell short. Head coach Doc Rivers wasn’t happy with the Bucks’ stagnant offense, noting their struggles against Orlando’s physicality.
“We didn’t move the ball a lot,” Rivers said. “We danced with the ball… When we do that, we’re not very good.”
Meanwhile, Cleveland is riding a massive heater, winning 13 straight and 17 of their last 18 games. Their latest victory, a 118-117 thriller against Charlotte, showcased their resilience after overcoming a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 24 points, and the Cavs capitalized at the free-throw line, hitting 43-of-51 (84.3%).
Despite the win, Mitchell wasn’t thrilled with the team’s performance: “We won, but that was… we won.”
Mitchell is Cleveland’s go-to scorer, averaging 24.4 PPG, while Darius Garland (6.7 APG) and Jarrett Allen (10.3 RPG) round out the key contributors. On the other side, Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to dominate, putting up 30.9 PPG and 12.1 RPG, while Damian Lillard adds 7.2 APG.
Key Betting Angles:
Cleveland has dominated the season series – The Cavs have won all three meetings, including a 124-101 blowout in December. They also edged out Milwaukee in back-to-back nail-biters in November.
The Cavs are elite offensively – They lead the NBA in offensive rating (122.1), points per game (123.1), and 3PT percentage (39.2%).
Milwaukee’s defensive concerns – The Bucks’ defensive rating (111.8) lags slightly behind Cleveland’s (111.1), and they’ve struggled against elite offenses.
Injury Report:
Cleveland is fully healthy.
Milwaukee had Pat Connaughton (calf), Gary Trent Jr. (knee), and Ryan Rollins (personal) sidelined on Saturday. Giannis (calf) and Lillard (eye) were on the injury report but played.
Final Thoughts & Betting Considerations:
Cleveland is in elite form and looking to extend its winning streak. Milwaukee, coming off a tough loss, is on short rest and hasn’t been able to crack the Cavs this season. With Cleveland’s offensive firepower and recent head-to-head dominance, the value might be on the Cavs, especially if Milwaukee’s injury concerns linger.
