The Milwaukee Bucks (14-11) and Cleveland Cavaliers (23-4) face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Cavaliers are 9-point favorites over the Bucks on the spread (Cavs -9), with the over/under set at 223.5 total points. Cleveland is a -390 favorite to win outright, while Milwaukee is +310 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Bucks vs. Cavaliers predictions and NBA picks for Friday, December 20.
Bucks vs. Cavaliers Picks, Prediction
Spread
My Cavaliers vs. Bucks best bet is on Cleveland to cover the spread at -9. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Moneyline
I'm backing the Cavaliers to win and cover the spread in tonight's contest. However, the moneyline still does not appeal to me priced around -390. I would rather lay the points.
Over/Under
I will be staying away from the total in Friday's matchup.
My Pick: Cavaliers -9 (-110)
Bucks vs. Cavaliers Odds
| Bucks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -110 | 223.5 -110 / -110 | +310 |
| Cavaliers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -110 | 223.5 -110 / -110 | -395 |
- Bucks vs. Cavaliers spread: Cavaliers -9
- Bucks vs. Cavaliers over/under: 223.5 total points
- Bucks vs. Cavaliers moneyline: Bucks +310, Cavaliers -395
- Bucks vs. Cavaliers best bet:Cavaliers -9
Bucks vs. Cavaliers Preview
The Bucks just won the NBA Cup in Vegas and now head off to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. There's a strong likelihood that there is some sort of Vegas hangover here following the win and with Cleveland having a significant rest advantage, this is a bad spot for the Bucks.
On the season, the Cavaliers have been dominant. They are 23-4 with the third-best Adjusted Net Rating (+6.2) and third-best Adjusted Offense (117.5). The Bucks have been strong, but not as good on the season at 12th-best Adjusted Net (+2.6), per Dunks and Threes.
The injury report is notable for this game. Damian Lillard (calf) is out for the Bucks, while Khris Middleton (illness) and Giannis (knee) are both listed as probable.
Middleton was downgraded to out for the Cup Final the other day despite being tagged as probable for the majority of the day.
The Cavaliers have a clean bill of health and may see Max Strus (ankle – questionable) for the first time this season.
The Cavs have not played since Monday, so even though this is a back-to-back set for them, they are in a strong position.
Both of these teams have been strong from beyond the arc. However, when you're missing Damian Lillard, those numbers are naturally going to come down a bit on the offensive side of the ball.
The biggest edge in this game is the Cavaliers' transition offense. They score the most points per transition play and the Bucks are bottom-10 at defending transition opportunities, per Cleaning the Glass.
Bucks vs. Cavaliers Prediction
This is a brutal situational spot for Milwaukee. They are at a rest disadvantage, they are without their second-best player, and this is a prime let down game after securing the NBA Cup against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Cavaliers have won both games against the Bucks this season, but they were tight games, with victories by slim margins of 2 and 1. In both of those games, Milwaukee shot the lights out from 3-point range and still came up short.
I'll lay the points with the Cavaliers and expect them to win the season series tonight. For my same game parlay, I'll grab Donovan Mitchell 20+ Points, Jarrett Allen 10+ Rebounds, and Darius Garland 6+ Assists.
Best Bet: Cavaliers -9
Same Game Parlay Pick
- Donovan Mitchell 20+ Points (-280)
- Jarrett Allen 10+ Rebounds (-165)
- Darius Garland 6+ Assists (-170)
Parlay Payout: +224
Cavaliers vs. Bucks Betting Trends
