Trent Reinsmith
- What Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
- Date: Friday, November 25, 2022
- Location: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: Bally Sports WI, Bally Sports Ohio
With the NBA schedule empty on Thanksgiving day, the league has a packed schedule for tonight, Friday, November 25. One of the most interesting games on the docket is the Eastern Conference matchup between the top teams in the Central Division, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Milwaukee is the No. 1 team in the Central. The team has played 17 games so far in the 2023 NBA season and have complied a 12-5 record, which puts them a half-game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland has played one more game than the Bucks. The team has a 12-6 record on the year. The Bucks and Cavs are the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics sit at the top of the East with a 14-4 record.
Before we dive into the betting breakdown for tonight’s NBA matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks picks – November 25, 2022
| Teams |  |  |  |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +120 | +120 | +120 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | -140 | -140 | -140 |
Cleveland Cavaliers breakdown
The Cavaliers finished the 2022 NBA season with a 44-38 record. The team is expected to have a much better showing in the 2023 season. With the club’s start, it looks like they have a good chance to live up to those expectations. Cleveland opened the 2023 season with a loss to the Toronto Raptors. After that, the Cavs went on an eight-game winning streak. However, a five-game losing skid followed that run. The team has wins in its past four games and is coming off a 114-96 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The downside of the Cavaliers’ record is that they are a much better home team (8-1) than they are on the road (4-5).
The Cavaliers have an outstanding young core. Donovan Mitchell leads the team in points (30.1), assists (5.7), steals (1.6) and minutes (37.8). Meanwhile, Jarret Allen is the club’s leader in rebounds and Evan Mobley is tops in blocks. Cleveland also has Darius Garland, who is second in scoring with 23.9 points per game.
Cleveland is pretty consistent in scoring. The team averages 116.9 points per game at home and 114.1 on the road. The Cavs are one of the top teams in the league in scoring defense on the road, allowing 108.9 points per game, which is third-best in the NBA.
Milwaukee Bucks breakdown
The Milwaukee Bucks opened the season with an unbeaten run that lasted from October 20 through November 5. The team was victorious in nine straight games. In the team’s eight most recent games, the Bucks have gone 3-5 and are coming off a loss to the Chicago Bulls. Milwaukee has been outstanding at home, going 9-2 at Fiserv Forum.
As has been the case for the past several seasons, the Bucks go as Giannis Antetokounmpo goes and so far this season, Giannas has been his usual dominating self. Antetokounmpo leads the team in scoring with 30.5 points per game and 11.6 rebounds on 32.9 minutes played. Jrue Holiday, who is second in scoring with 18.2 points per game, is the team leader in assists (7.7) and steals (1.6), while Brook Lopez, who is the team’s third-highest scorer (16.4) is the leader in blocks with 2.6.
The Bucks have been good at scoring at home, averaging 114.7 points per game. As for allowing the visiting team to score inside their building, Milwaukee has been above average, holding their opponents to an average of 106.2 points per game.
Our pick
Cleveland is struggling with consistency and scoring on the road. That’s not good news for them against a team like the Bucks, who have been excellent at home. The best bet in this game is for a Milwaukee team, led by the outstanding Giannis Antetokounmpo, to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Pick: Milwaukee Bucks to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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