NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers VS Milwaukee Bucks Pick and Predictions 11/16/2022

Game: 8:10 PM ET,  Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Where to Watch: NBA LEAGUE PASS

Cavaliers: 8-5, 4th place Eastern Conference

Bucks: 10-3, 2nd place Eastern Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Bucks -3.5; 219.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Bucks -4; O/U 220

Fanduel: Point Spread: Bucks -4; O/U 220

Cavaliers: PF Kevin Love, SF Lamar Stevens, C Evan Mobley, SG Caris LaVert, PG Darius Garland.

Bucks: SF Marjon Beauchamp, PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Brook Lopez, PG Jevon Carter, SG Grayson Allen

An Eastern Conference battle between two teams that are definite deep playoff contenders… and constantly battle for the title of “Most Boring City in the USA”... good things their teams aren’t boring (this season).  The Cleveland Cavaliers tout one of the best and most exciting backcourt duo in the league… PG Darius Garland was last season’s true breakout star.  He can run this team with ease and drop a 20 piece on most nights… Darius however isn’t the best of the duo… Over the summer the Cavaliers added SG Donovan Mitchell in a trade with the Utah Jazz.  Donovan is now leading the team in scoring with 31.6 points per game.  The trade ended up being a “Great Deal” for BOTH teams.  The players the Cavaliers shipped out to Utah are actually really good… the player they got is really good to great.  It has so far worked for both squads and it will continue to work.  The Cavs are a bit dinged up with Donovan Mitchell listed as Questionable after missing last game with a bum ankle… but in the NBA "Quest:" almost always plays… The Cavs also missed Center Jarrett Allen in their last game… which moved PF Evan Mobley to Center and Pf Kevin Love from the bench to the starting unit.  They lost that game to Minnesota… but again both guys may play in this one since both are listed as Questionable.  The Milwaukee Bucks are very dinged up.  They have a lot of necessary faces and names riding the bench with injury… and they are still in 2nd place in the East!  The reason they are so good is no secret.  The key piece on the Bucks is and always will be PF Giannis Antetokounmpo… who is again among the favorites to win MVP… and is leading the team in Points (31.3) and rebounds (11.8)... Those are averages for Giannis.. Not some big game he got the other night.  Among the injured is SG Pat Connaughton and SF Khris Middleton who are vitally needed shooters and scorers come playoff time… The season is young… They should get plenty of rest now.  Also dinged up though are SG Wesley Matthews Quest, PG Jrue Holiday Quest, and SG Grayson Allen Quest… that is a lot of bandages and treatment!

The Cavaliers lost their last game to the Minnesota Timberwolves 129-124… also a loss ATS. PG Darius Garland had 51 POINTS!!... Noone else broke 20.  Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen missed this contest with ankle injuries.  Had they played and Darius still gotten 51 they would have easily won.  “Had they” is of course just speculation… because what happened was a loss. Still at 8-5 and 4th place East on the season… They could afford the loss and trudge forward.  Darius Garland’s scoring came on the same night as other great scoring nights across the league and it was in a losing effort… That is why it will be overlooked on SportsCenter.

The Milwaukee Bucks also lost their last game to the Atlanta Hawks 121 - 106.  They have lost their last 2 games.  An unimportant, small losing streak for a winning team so early in the season… The problem with it is that they also lost first place in the East to the Boston Celtics.  The future will bring the playoffs for both these squads and the Bucks will absolutely want home court advantage… They have plenty of time and they need to make up the ground.  In the loss Giannis had 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists… great numbers but all below his averages.  SF Marjon Beauchamp added 20 points which is encouraging since he is not usually a starter, but was pressed into the challenge because of injuries. No one else on the roster stepped up… especially defensively.  SG Grayson Allen left the game relatively early with an injury and didn’t make it back.  The Bucks will need health if the want to not keep losing ground to the Celtics.

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CLE: 8-5, 8-5 ATS, 8-5 O/U, 4-4 in road games.

MIL: 10-3, 9-4 ATS, 5-8 O/U, 7-1 in home games.

The Cavaliers are 9th in scoring with 116 points per game, 10th in rebounds with 44.9 per game, 17th in AST/TO ratio with 1.7, and 22nd in blocks with 4.2 per game.

The Bucks are 17th in points with 111.5 points per game, 1st in rebounds with 50.5 per game, 24th in AST/TO ratio with 1.5, and 3rd in blocked shots with 6.4 per game.

Our prediction for Wednesday, November 16th is…. Cavs 125 - Bucks 118

The Cavs will add Donovan Mitchell back into the lineup and the Bucks won’t be able to stop the Combo of Mitchell and Garland in the backcourt.  Yes Giannis will have a night of scoring and rebounding but he always does.  Bet on the Cavs… plus you will also get a couple of points to put in your pocket.

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Milwaukee is 27-23 ATS versus the Cavs since 1996.

The Bucks are 2-1 ATS against the Cavs in Milwaukee the last 3 seasons.

Bucks: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo.  After back to back losses Giannis will put everything on his shoulders.  That is exactly what the Cavs are hoping for… No one minds a 35 points 12 rebounds outburst from Giannis if they can marginalize all those dinged up support players.

Cavs: PG Darius Garland. Darius had an insane scoring binge of a game… and it was overlooked by everyone since Joel Embiid had a better game on the same night.  Sometimes when a point guard like Garland is in the ZONE.. the numbers carry and he has multiple big games in a row.

Cavs: JB “gimme health gimme health” Bickerstaff

Bucks: Mike “I’m still here” Budenholzer