We've got another exciting Central Division matchup on Friday's NBA schedule as the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Milwaukee Bucks. Cleveland is 23-4 overall and 14-1 at home, while Milwaukee is 14-11 overall and 4-7 on the road. Milwaukee is coming off winning the 2024 NBA Cup on Tuesday, but Cleveland has won three straight matchups with Milwaukee, including two this season. The Bucks are 10-14-1 against the spread (ATS) in the 2024-25 NBA season, while the Cavs are a league-best 19-8 ATS.
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The Cavs are favored by 9 points in the latest Bucks vs. Cavaliers odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 222 points. Before entering any Cavaliers vs. Bucks picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 9 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 124-84 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Milwaukee vs. Cleveland. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Bucks vs. Cavs:
- Cavaliers vs. Bucks spread: Cavaliers -9
- Cavaliers vs. Bucks over/under: 222 points
- Cavaliers vs. Bucks money line: Cavs -408, Bucks +317
- Cavaliers vs. Bucks picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Cavaliers vs. Bucks streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee is riding a high after winning the 2024 NBA Cup on Tuesday over the Oklahoma City Thunder by a 97-81 score. Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a triple-double with 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, in addition to having three blocks and two steals. Milwaukee has turned its season around after a 4-9 start as it has gone 11-2 since then, including the NBA Cup Championship win, which doesn't count in regular-season standings.
The Bucks rank third in the NBA with 38.9% from beyond the arc, and they also protect the paint on the other end of the court. Milwaukee ranks seventh in blocks per game, which has led opponents to having the fourth-worst 2-point percentage and the fifth-worst field goal percentage. Also, including its two NBA Cup games in Vegas, the Bucks have covered in five of their last six games away from home. See which team to pick here.
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Cleveland cruised to a 130-101 victory on Monday over the Brooklyn Nets, and the Cavs got balanced scoring from throughout its roster. Seven players scored in double-figures, led by 21 points from Evan Mobley. Donovan Mitchell had a complete stat line with 18 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds, and the five-time All-Star is shooting a career-best 40.4% on 3-point attempts.
Cleveland last played on Monday, while the Bucks won the NBA Cup on Tuesday, and Milwaukee has experienced zero spread success when it has a rest disadvantage. It is 0-6 ATS when it has less rest than its opponent, while the Cavs always rise to the challenge versus good teams. The Cavaliers are a perfect 6-0 versus the spread against teams that have won at least 55% of their games this season. Cleveland also gets to face a Bucks team missing Damian Lillard (calf). See which team to pick here.
How to make Bucks vs. Cavaliers picks
The model has simulated Cavaliers vs. Bucks 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Cavs, and which side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cavs vs. Bucks spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 124-84 roll on top-rated NBA picks since last season, and find out.