Cleveland Cavaliers vs Milwaukee Bucks Betting Pick & Prediction 3/9/25
At 8:00 ET, the Milwaukee Bucks (+293) will host the Cleveland Cavaliers (-364) in a Central Division showdown. The Cavs are currently riding a 13-game win streak and are favored by 9 points over the Bucks (+9). The over/under line is set at 238.
This game will be played at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and can be seen on ESPN. Cleveland is 1st in the Eastern Conference with a record of 53-10, while Milwaukee is 4th in the East at 36-26.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -9
This game will be played at Fiserv Forum at 8:00 ET on Sunday, March 9th.
WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 142-130 in favor of the Cavaliers.
- Our projections have Donovan Mitchell finishing with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Cavaliers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.6% and knocking down 18 threes.
Can the Cavaliers Deliver Being Favored on the Road?
The Cavaliers improved to 53-10 with a narrow 118-117 road win over the Hornets on Friday. Despite being favored by 16 points, Cleveland didn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total of 235 points matched the pre-game O/U line.
Charlotte went on an early 11-0 run, but Cleveland responded with a strong 2nd quarter, outscoring the Hornets 36-25. The Cavs led 87-83 heading into the 4th, but Charlotte edged them 34-31 in the final period.
In their win over the Hornets, the Cavaliers shot just 42.1% from the field and made 11 threes at a 32.4% clip. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 24 points, despite shooting 31.6%, and Darius Garland added 20 points, hitting 3 threes at 50% efficiency.
Mitchell scored 12 points in the 4th quarter, while Evan Mobley contributed 6 of his 19 points in the 3rd. De’Andre Hunter and Jarrett Allen added 5 points each in the 3rd, with Hunter finishing with 15 points and Allen adding 14.
Defensively, the Cavaliers were solid in the 2nd quarter, giving up just 25 points, but they struggled in the 4th, allowing 34 points. Despite this, they managed to hold the Hornets to 117 points on 47% shooting.
From beyond the arc, Cleveland limited Charlotte to 13 threes on 35% shooting. The Hornets also went 16/21 from the free-throw line. The Cavaliers finished with 36 defensive rebounds, gave up 10 offensive boards, and recorded 7 steals and 4 blocks.
Can Milwaukee Pull Out the Win as Home Underdogs?
The Bucks fell to 36-26 on the season after a 111-109 home loss to the Magic on Saturday. Milwaukee, favored by 6.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 220, going over the pre-game line of 216.5.
Milwaukee got off to a slow start, trailing 34-20 after the 1st quarter. They entered the 4th quarter down 90-76 but made a push with a 13-0 run, closing the gap from 97-83 to 97-96. Despite outscoring Orlando 33-21 in the final quarter, the Bucks couldn’t complete the comeback.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 37 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 65.2% from the field in Saturday’s loss to the Magic. Damian Lillard added 26 points, hitting 4 threes at 44.4%, while Taurean Prince chipped in 13 points, making 3 threes at 60%.
Milwaukee shot 54.7% overall and 47.8% 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 their 1st quarter struggles, giving up 34 points in a 111-109 loss to the Magic. Milwaukee’s defense tightened in the 2nd quarter, allowing 26 points, but Orlando still shot 51% from the field.
The Bucks did well in limiting the Magic’s three-point shooting, allowing 12 threes on 37% shooting. Milwaukee sent Orlando to the line 19 times, where they made 15 free throws. The Bucks grabbed 34 defensive rebounds, gave up 5 offensive boards, and added 8 steals and 4 blocks.