Cavaliers Aim to Extend Streak to 14 Games vs. Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland-Cavaliers March 9th 2025

At 8:00 ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers (-364) will take on the Milwaukee Bucks (+293) in a Central Division matchup. The over/under line for this game is currently set at 238.

Currently, the Cavaliers are favored by 9 points and have a record of 53-10. They are on a 13-game win streak and are ranked 1st in the Eastern Conference. On the other side, the Bucks are 36-26 and are 4th in the East. This game will be played at Fiserv Forum and can be seen on ESPN.

Cavaliers vs. Bucks Key Information

Sport: NBA
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks
Where: Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum
Date: Sunday, March 9th
Betting Odds CLE -9, CLE -364 | MIL +293 O/U 238

The Cavaliers Can Win If…

With a 118-117 win over the Hornets on Friday, the Cavaliers improved to 53-10 for the season. Despite being -16 point favorites, Cleveland narrowly escaped with the victory. The total points for the game landed right on the O/U line of 235.

Charlotte went on an 11-0 run early, but Cleveland responded by winning the 2nd quarter 36-25. The Cavs led 87-83 heading into the 4th, but the Hornets outscored them 34-31 in the final period, making it a close finish.

In their win over the Hornets, the Cavaliers shot 42.1% from the field and made 11 threes at a 32.4% clip. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 24 points, despite shooting just 31.6%, and added 12 points in the 4th quarter.

Darius Garland contributed 20 points, hitting 3 threes at 50%, while Evan Mobley added 19 points and 10 rebounds. De’Andre Hunter scored 15, and Jarrett Allen added 14, with 6 points in the 3rd quarter.

Defensively, the Cavaliers held the Hornets to 27 points in the 1st quarter and 25 in the 2nd, but they gave up 31 in the 3rd and 34 in the 4th. Still, Cleveland managed to come away with the win despite allowing 117 points.

The Hornets shot 47% from the field and 35% from three, making 13 threes. Cleveland sent Charlotte to the line 21 times, where they hit 16 free throws. The Cavaliers finished with 36 defensive rebounds, gave up 10 offensive boards, and recorded 7 steals and 4 blocks.

Across their last three road contests, Cleveland has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 126 points per game.
Over the team’s last three games as the favorite, the Cavaliers struggled vs the spread going just 1-2. However, they still had a straight up mark of 3-0.
Over their last three games, the Cavaliers have an over/under record of 1-1-1 and are 1-2 vs. the spread.

The Bucks Can Win If…

After a 111-109 loss to the Magic on Saturday, the Bucks are now 36-26. Milwaukee, who were favored by 6.5 points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 220, slightly over the 216.5 O/U line.

The Bucks got off to a slow start, trailing 34-20 after the 1st quarter. They made a push in the 4th, outscoring Orlando 33-21 and going on a 13-0 run to close the gap from 97-83 to 97-96, but ultimately fell short.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 37 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 65.2% from the field in their loss to the Magic. Damian Lillard added 26 points, hitting 4 threes at 44.4%, while Taurean Prince contributed 13 points, making 3 threes at 60%.

The Bucks shot 54.7% overall, with a 47.8% mark from beyond the arc, though they made just 11 threes. Giannis scored 13 points in the 4th quarter, while Prince added 9 of his 13 points in the final period.

Despite a strong defensive effort in the 4th quarter, where they allowed just 21 points, the Bucks couldn’t overcome a rough 1st quarter, giving up 34 points in their 111-109 loss to the Magic. Milwaukee allowed Orlando to shoot 51% from the field.

The Bucks did a solid job defending the three-point line, holding the Magic to 12 made threes on 37% shooting. They also sent Orlando to the free-throw line 19 times, where the Magic converted 15. Milwaukee finished with 34 defensive rebounds, gave up 5 offensive boards, and recorded 8 steals and 4 blocks.

Milwaukee has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 118 points per game while allowing 112. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bucks have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 5-5.
In their last three games, the Bucks have an over/under record of 2-1 and are 2-1 vs. the spread.

The Lean

We’re putting our money on the Cavaliers to win, and have the projected score sitting at 142-130. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Cavaliers at -9.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 238 and given that our model is projecting 272 points between the teams, we like the over.

Cavaliers Look to Keep Rolling Against Bucks

Two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams will meet Sunday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-16) visit the Milwaukee Bucks (39-22) for the final game of their four-game season series.

Cleveland enters the contest on a 13-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the NBA. The Cavaliers have also won 17 of their past 18 games and are closing in on their franchise-record 15-game win streak that opened the season.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back after falling 111-109 to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, snapping a four-game winning streak.

Cleveland Continues to Surge Behind Mitchell and Elite Offense

The Cavaliers have been the hottest team in the NBA, finding ways to grind out close wins and dominate offensively.

In Friday’s 118-117 win over Charlotte, Cleveland overcame a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit, closing the game on a 23-13 run. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 24 points, as the Cavs hit a season-high 43 free throws on 51 attempts (84.3%).

Despite their winning streak, Mitchell wasn’t satisfied with the team’s performance against Charlotte.

“We won, but that was … we won,” Mitchell said. “We’re winning games, but I’m always going to hold us to a high standard, myself included. Rough start and rough finish. We shouldn’t have been in that position: mistakes, turnovers, defensive mishaps, rebounds.”

Mitchell leads Cleveland in scoring, averaging 24.4 points per game, while Darius Garland (6.7 APG) and Jarrett Allen (10.3 RPG) continue to thrive.

The Cavaliers are among the best offensive teams in the NBA, ranking:

1st in Offensive Rating (122.1)
1st in Points Per Game (123.1)
1st in Three-Point Percentage (39.2%)
2nd in Net Rating (11.0), trailing only Oklahoma City (12.6)

Bucks Look to Rebound After Loss to Magic

Milwaukee had been riding a four-game winning streak before suffering a tough home loss to Orlando on Saturday.

The Bucks trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half and were unable to complete their comeback. Coach Doc Rivers criticized the team’s lack of ball movement after the game.

“We didn’t move the ball a lot,” Rivers said. “We danced with the ball. … When we do that, we’re not very good. We gave in to a lot of their physicality. I thought they were so much more physical tonight.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to lead Milwaukee, averaging 30.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, while Damian Lillard leads the team with 7.2 assists per game.

Milwaukee is also one of the league’s best shooting teams, ranking:

2nd in Three-Point Percentage (38.3%)
5th in Offensive Rating (118.3)

Cleveland Has Owned Milwaukee This Season

Cleveland has won all three matchups against Milwaukee this season, including a 124-101 blowout victory on Dec. 20.

The Cavaliers also swept a home-and-home series in early November, winning 114-113 and 116-114 in tight battles.

In the last meeting:

Mitchell led Cleveland with 27 points and six assists.
Antetokounmpo had 33 points and 14 rebounds, but the Bucks were without Damian Lillard.

Key Players to Watch

Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell – Averaging 24.4 PPG, leading Cleveland’s offense.
Darius Garland – Provides elite playmaking (6.7 APG).
Jarrett Allen – Dominant inside, averaging 10.3 rebounds per game.

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo – 30.9 PPG, trying to carry Milwaukee after last night’s loss.
Damian Lillard – Milwaukee needs his playmaking (7.2 APG) and shooting.
Khris Middleton – Could be a key factor if his shooting gets hot.

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Final Prediction & Outlook

Cleveland is dominating every statistical category and has already beaten Milwaukee three times this season. The Bucks are on short rest, coming off a physical loss to Orlando, while the Cavaliers are well-rested and full of confidence.

The only question is whether Milwaukee can match Cleveland’s offensive firepower and improve its ball movement from Saturday’s disappointing performance.

With Cleveland playing at an elite level and Mitchell continuing to lead the way, the Cavaliers should have the edge again.

Prediction: Cavaliers 122, Bucks 115.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland-cavaliers Picks and Predictions March 9th 2025