Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction and Betting Tips | Dec. 20, 2024

The Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers matchup is one of the three games scheduled for Friday. Milwaukee is fifth in the East with a 14-11 record, while Cleveland is first with a 23-4 record.

The two teams have faced each other 235 times in the regular season, with the Bucks holding a 132-103 lead. This will be their third meeting this season and Cleveland won both the previous games. The most recent clash was on Nov. 4, when the Cavs got a narrow 116-114 win behind Darius Garland’s 39 points. Damian Lillard led Milwaukee with 36 points.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers game details and odds

The Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The matchup will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV. It will also air locally on FanDuel Sports Network - Ohio and FanDuel Sports Network - Wisconsin. Fans can also stream it live on NBA League Pass and FuboTV.

Moneyline: Bucks (+300) vs. Cavaliers (-380)

Spread: Bucks (+9) vs. Cavaliers (-9)

Total (O/U): Bucks -110 (o223.5) vs. Cavaliers -110 (u223.5)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers preview

After a tough start, Milwaukee has turned its season around and has won eight of its last 10 games. It is fresh off an Emirates NBA Cup final triumph against the OKC Thunder on Tuesday. The Bucks won 97-81 behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Lillard also chipped in with 23 points.

Cleveland continues to top the standings after a 15-game win streak to start the season. It is 7-3 in the previous 10 outings and 14-1 at home. The Cavs are on a two-game winning streak and most recently defeated the Brooklyn Nets 130-101 on Monday.

All Cleveland starters scored in double digits and were led by Evan Mobley’s 21 points.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers betting props

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s point total is set at 31.5. He leads the league in scoring this season with 32.7 points per game and should be good for 32 points on Friday as well.

Donovan Mitchell’s points total is set at 23.5, which is slightly under his season average of 23.3 points. While Mitchell is more than capable of scoring 24 points, Cleveland has relied on an overall effort to get wins this season. So, bet on the under here.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers prediction

Despite Milwaukee’s recent domination, the oddsmakers heavily favor the Cavs to win at home. This is because Damian Lillard has been ruled out for the game with a right calf strain. While Cleveland should get the win, it might not cover the spread in a high-scoring contest where the team total will surpass 223.5 points.