Milwaukee (37-32) at Cleveland (40-29)
When: Monday, March 19th 2018
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Cleveland -4/221.5
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With the top eight spots in the Eastern Conference playoff race pretty much set, the only thing left to decide is the seeding and which teams will finish in the top four to get homecourt advantage in the first round. With the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics firmly entrenched at 1 and 2 respectively, spots three thru eight are only separated by 3.5 games and the Cleveland Cavaliers will try and hold that No. 3 spot when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. The Cavaliers hope to have coach Tyronn Lue back on the bench on Monday after he stayed in the locker room after halftime during Saturday’s 114-109 win over the Chicago Bulls with an undisclosed illness – the second time in the last six weeks that he could not make it through a game. Cleveland is also dealing with various injuries on the court, as SF Cedi Osman (hip), PF Larry Nance Jr. (hamstring), SG Kyle Korver (personal) and SG Rodney Hood (back) are all questionable for Monday. Milwaukee is three games behind Cleveland and sits in seventh place in the East and have won three of its last four games. Cleveland took the first two meetings this season, but Milwaukee won the latest matchup with a 119-116 triumph at home on December 19th.
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Milwaukee took the Orlando Magic lightly on Wednesday and suffered a 126-117 loss, then came back on Saturday against the lowly Atlanta Hawks and eeked-out a 122-117 victory. Mr. Do-Everything Giannis Antetokounmpo did his part on the defensive end Saturday with four steals and two blocks to go with 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Shooting guard Khris Middleton is getting hot again, averaging 24.8 points over the last four games including 10-of-17 from 3-point range in that span. Milwaukee will play six of their next eight games on the road including a trip to Golden State and the L.A. Lakers on back-to-back nights to end the month.
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Cleveland ended their six-game road trip 3-3 after Saturday’s win over the Bulls and will play seven of the next 10 at home as they try to hold off the Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers in the race for the No. 3 spot in the East. The Cavaliers’ lengthy list of absences does not include superstar LeBron James, who recorded his 15th triple-double of the season with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists on Saturday. James is averaging 30 points on 54.2% shooting, 10.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists in nine games this month. The Cavs will host the Raptors on Wednesday.
The Bucks have not been playing their best over the last month or so, and even though Cleveland has a long list of injuries, they still have James. Milwaukee is just 1-5 ATS in their last six overall and have dropped two of their last three on the road. I’ll take Cleveland laying the small number.
Pick: Cavaliers -2.5
- Bucks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Bucks are 22-46-2 ATS in their last 70 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Bucks are 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Bucks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss.
- Bucks are 3-12-2 ATS in their last 17 vs. NBA Central.
- Bucks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Bucks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Bucks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Bucks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Bucks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Bucks are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Bucks are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Cavaliers are 17-35-1 ATS in their last 53 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 17-35-1 ATS in their last 53 games following a ATS loss.
- Cavaliers are 17-35 ATS in their last 52 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 9-19 ATS in their last 28 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 16-36 ATS in their last 52 games overall.
- Cavaliers are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up win.
- Cavaliers are 13-37-2 ATS in their last 52 home games.
- Cavaliers are 8-23 ATS in their last 31 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 4-23 ATS in their last 27 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Cavaliers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Cavaliers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Over is 4-0 in Bucks last 4 overall.
- Under is 5-0 in Bucks last 5 vs. NBA Central.
- Over is 4-0 in Bucks last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Bucks last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 9-1 in Bucks last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 5-1 in Bucks last 6 Monday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Bucks last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 8-2 in Bucks last 10 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 11-5 in Bucks last 16 road games.
- Under is 15-7 in Bucks last 22 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0 in Cavaliers last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 9-1 in Cavaliers last 10 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Under is 7-1 in Cavaliers last 8 Monday games.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. NBA Central.
- Under is 8-3 in Cavaliers last 11 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 21-9-2 in Cavaliers last 32 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Cleveland.
- Over is 23-7 in the last 30 meetings.
- Underdog is 3-0-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
