Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
Where: Quicken Loans Arena – Cleveland, Ohio
When: Wednesday, December 21, 2016, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Milwaukee Bucks (+6) at Cleveland Cavaliers (-6); total: 207.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: NBATV
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Betting on the Milwaukee Bucks (+6)
The Milwaukee Bucks had their two-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a gut-wrenching 114-108 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a disappointing defeat for the Bucks, who overcame a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter only to fall short against the Cavs in the end. They will look to get their season back on track when they lock horns with the Cavs in an immediate rematch tonight.
For the Bucks to grab the victory this time around, they will need to improve on their play on the defensive end, particularly from the 3-point area. The Cavs ran riot from the perimeter, nailing 17 of their 40 three-point attempts on Tuesday. That’s quite disappointing for Milwaukee considering they are second in the NBA in three-point defense this season (33.2%).
On the offensive end, the Bucks will once again rely on the hot shooting of Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Parker scored 30 points against the Cavs on Tuesday while the Greek Freak recorded his 12th double-double, recording 25 points and 13 rebounds.
The Bucks are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Betting on the Cleveland Cavaliers (-6)
For the Cavaliers to record their third consecutive win tonight, they will need to get another huge performance from LeBron James. The four-time MVP scored a game-high 34 points against the Bucks on Tuesday, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 24 seconds left in overtime. James has been a vital cog in Cleveland’s success this season, leading the team not only in scoring (25.0 PPG) but also in assists (9.0 APG) and steals (1.4 SPG) as well.
The Cavs will need James now more than ever with injuries plaguing their side at the moment. Kevin Love missed Tuesday’s clash with a bruised left knee and is questionable for tonight’s contest. J.R. Smith is also a major doubt for this return encounter after injuring his right thumb on Tuesday. Love and Smith are averaging a combined 31.1 points per game for the Cavs this season. Another guy who needs to step up for Cleveland tonight is Kyrie Irving. He scored 28 points, grabbed five boards and dished out five assists in the win against Milwaukee. Irving shot 8-of-23 from the field on Tuesday and went a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
The Cavs are 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Cleveland (-6) edges past Milwaukee, 107-101.
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