The Milwaukee Bucks (23-8) travel to face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers (18-13) on Friday, December 29th. This game will be played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Bucks vs Cavaliers

The Bucks Are Coming Off A Win

In their most recent game, the Bucks took down the Nets by a score of 144-122. the Bucks entered the second half with an advantage, leading with 66-59.

In their last three games, the Bucks are 2-1 and have an overall record of 23-8. When playing against other Eastern Conference teams, the Bucks are 19-8 and are 4-0 against non-conference opponents.

Milwaukee’s ATS record sits below .500 (14-17). The Bucks maintain an ATS record of 7-6 on the road, while they have a 7-11 record vs. the spread when playing at home.

The Cavaliers Are Coming Off A Win

The Cavaliers’ most recent matchup against the Mavericks saw Caris LeVert lead the Cavaliers with 29 points while shooting 9/19 from the field. Jarrett Allen also contributed 24 points as the Cavaliers won by a score of 113-110 vs. the Mavericks.

When looking at their overall record of 18-13, the Cavaliers have gone 2-1 in their last three games. In Eastern Conference play, the Cavaliers are 11-7 compared to 7-6 in non-conference games.

Cleveland has an ATS record above .500, currently standing at 15-14 against the spread. The Cavaliers are currently on a five game ATS win streak when they are the favorite, and they hold a 7-5 record against the spread as underdogs.

Bucks Offense Breakdown

Leading up to today’s matchup, the Bucks are one of the NBA’s top offenses, averaging 125.2 points per game (2nd). When looking at the Bucks pace of play, they tend to play an up-tempo style of basketball. So far, the team is in the upper half of the NBA in possessions per game, averaging 102. Not only is the team ranked near the top of the league in possessions, but this fast-paced style has translated to an increased number of made shots, as they are 2nd in the league in made field goals per game.

Cavaliers Offense Breakdown

In 31 games games, Cleveland has an average of 112.1 points per game (23rd). So far, the Cavaliers are averaging 97.9 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. A key aspect of the team’s offensive struggles is the fact that they not only play at a slow pace, but they struggle to score inside. Heading into today’s game, Cleveland is just 15th in shots made inside the arc.

Bucks Team Defense

At present, the Bucks’ defense is ranked 24th, allowing 119.2 points per game. So far this season, the Bucks’ defense has struggled with fouls, averaging 10th in fouls per contest. On average, opponents are getting to the line 22.3 times per game vs. Milwaukee.

Cavaliers Team Defense

Currently, the Cavaliers’ defense holds the 8th rank in the NBA, allowing 111.8 points per game. On two point field goal attempts, the Cavaliers’ defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 52.7% and allowing 35.6% from beyond the arc.

Key Players For The Bucks And Cavaliers

In today’s game, we anticipate Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the scoring for the Bucks, contributing 21 points while shooting 8/12 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 30.8 points per game, along with 10.9 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Donovan Mitchell as the leading scorer for the Cavaliers. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 19 while also collecting 5 rebounds. Throughout the season, he has maintained a 45.3% field goal shooting rate and is averaging 27.7 points per game.

Bucks vs Cavaliers Trends

• Across the Bucks last ten road games, the team averaged 125 points per game while allowing 117. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 7-3, while going 6-4 straight-up.
• In their last ten games at home, the Cavaliers have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 6-2-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 110 points per game in this stretch.
• Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Cavaliers have gone 3-1-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
• In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Bucks have a straight up record of 8-2 and an ATS mark of 5-5.

Bucks vs Cavaliers Prediction

In this Bucks vs. Cavaliers matchup, our point-spread bet is on the Cavaliers at +5.5. While we project the Bucks to win 115-110, our recommendation is to bet on the Cavaliers for the point-spread.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 239.5, and our model predicts the Bucks and Cavaliers to score a combined 225 points. We recommend betting on the under.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.