Bucks vs. Cavaliers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets
Two of the league’s best scorers hit the court when Giannis Antetokounmpo (fourth, 30.5 PPG) and the Milwaukee Bucks (23-8) visit Donovan Mitchell (eighth, 27.7 PPG) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (18-13) on Friday, December 29, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET on NBA. The Bucks are 5-point favorites. The matchup’s point total is 239.
Bucks vs. Cavaliers Odds
How to Bet on Bucks vs. Cavaliers
Game Time and Information
Who Will Win Bucks vs. Cavaliers?
Bucks and Cavaliers Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread
In games this season they were favored by 5 points or more, the Bucks have an 8-12-1 record against the spread.
In games this season in which they were an underdog by 5 points or more, the Cavaliers have a 5-1 record against the spread.
The two teams average a combined 1.7 fewer points per game, 237.3, than this game’s over/under of 239 points.
Opponents of the two teams average a combined 8.0 fewer points per game (231) than this matchup’s over/under of 239 points.
The Bucks’ average point total in outings this season is 244.4, 5.4 points higher than the over/under in this game.
The average point total for Cleveland this year is 15.1 points fewer than this game’s over/under.
Milwaukee has a 14-16-1 record against the spread this season.
So far this year, the Cavaliers have put together a 15-14-2 record against the spread.
Bucks Stats & Insights
The Bucks outscore opponents by 6.0 points per game (scoring 125.2 points per game to rank second in the league while giving up 119.2 per outing to rank 23rd in the NBA) and have a +185 scoring differential overall.
The Bucks average 44.5 rebounds per game (11th in the league) compared to the 44.0 of their opponents.
Milwaukee makes 14.5 three-pointers per game (sixth-most in the league) at a 38.3% rate (third-best in the NBA), compared to the 11.7 per game its opponents make at a 34.3% rate.
The Bucks rank second in the NBA with 122.8 points scored per 100 possessions, and 19th in the league defensively with 116.9 points conceded per 100 possessions.
In the 2023-24 campaign, the Bucks are scoring 1.3 more points per home game on average than on the road (125.7 at home, 124.4 on the road), but are conceding 1.1 fewer points per home game compared to road games (118.7 at home, 119.8 on the road).
Cavaliers Stats & Insights
The Cavaliers score 112.1 points per game (23rd in NBA) and allow 111.8 (seventh in league) for a +8 scoring differential overall.
Cleveland grabs 44.3 rebounds per game (13th in league) while allowing 42.7 per outing to opponents. It outrebounds opponents by 1.6 boards per game.
The Cavaliers connect on 12.6 three-pointers per game (15th in the league) at a 35.4% rate (23rd in NBA), compared to the 12.2 their opponents make, shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc.
The Cavaliers average 114.5 points per 100 possessions on offense (19th in league), and concede 114.2 points per 100 possessions (11th in NBA).
At home, Cleveland scores 112.7 points per game. On the road, it scores 111.4.
Bucks Key Players to Watch
Antetokounmpo averages 30.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.
Damian Lillard contributes with 4.4 boards and 6.9 assists per game in addition to his 25.7 PPG scoring average.
The Bucks get 3.2 three-pointers per game out of Lillard.
Antetokounmpo averages 1.3 takeaways per game, and Brook Lopez records 2.9 rejections per contest.
Cavaliers Key Players to Watch
Mitchell scores 27.7 points per game. He also contributes 5.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game this season.
Jarrett Allen has per-game averages of 13.7 points, 2.7 assists and 9.2 rebounds this season.
Max Strus cashes in on 2.9 treys per game.
The Cavaliers’ defensive effort gets a lift from Mitchell (1.8 steals per game) and Allen (0.9 blocks per game).
Under (239)
Bucks 118 – Cavaliers 117
