Bucks vs. Cavaliers Pick
Are Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks going to win in a small upset at the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight when they meet at 7PM ET?
601 Milwaukee Bucks at 602 Cleveland Cavaliers, 7PM ET
CURRENT ODDS
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Cavaliers are a 2.5-point favorite on the spread line. The over-under sits at 224.5 points.
Bet NBA Action For Monday, March 19, 2018
LINE MOVEMENT
Cleveland opened as a 3.5-point favorite before the line dropped a point, while the total has gone up from 222.5. The line is at -2.5 almost everywhere but can be bet at -3 if you shop around. The total is 224 at most sportsbooks, but can be found at 224.5 at books such as YouWager.
PUBLIC BETTING
As of Monday afternoon, 60 percent of public bets have sided with the Cavs. Online wager info also states that 57 percent of bets are on the over.
INJURY TO WATCH
Bucks center Tyler Zeller (back) is questionable to play tonight. Point guard Matthew Dellavedova (ankle) is out indefinitely, while shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon (quadriceps) is out until late March. For Cleveland, four players are questionable – small forward Cedi Osman (hip), power forward Larry Nance Jr. (hamstring), shooting guard Kyle Korver (personal) and shooting guard Rodney Hood (undisclosed). Centers Kevin Love (hand) and Tristan Thompson (ankle) are both out until late March.
BETTING STRATEGY
Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue has taken a leave of absence to deal with health issues. Whether that plays a factor in your betting decision is your call, but it’s good info to have. Cleveland is 2-1 in three meetings this season, while the games have gone 1-1-1 ATS. Cleveland returns home after a road trip in which it went 3-3 straight up, while Milwaukee has won three of its last four against teams all well out of the playoff picture. The Cavs are much better at home with a 22-11 record, while the Bucks are 15-18 on the road. The spread is small, so a bet on the home team seems smart here.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS -2.5
