The Cleveland Cavaliers (41-27) head to Fiserv Forum to battle the stumbling Milwaukee Bucks (28-39) on Tuesday, March 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Cleveland's likely eager to rebound from a tough loss vs. the Mavericks, and Milwaukee looks to build on a recent victory over the Pacers.
Below, we’ll break down our Cavaliers vs. Bucks prediction and picks for Tuesday night’s game. Make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Cavaliers vs. Bucks Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
Milwaukee is 11th in the Eastern Conference standings and 2-8 in the last 10 games. Its defense has struggled, overshadowing Giannis Antetokounmpo’s high-level production on the other end of the floor. The former Finals MVP is in serious need of secondary support.
Antetokounmpo remains one of the league's elite scorers and rebounders, fresh off a 31-point, 14-rebound performance vs. the Indiana Pacers. However, the Bucks have allowed an average of 116.1 points per game. Bucks F Bobby Portis and G Ryan Rollins have combined for 36.4 points per contest in that span, but the team's depth issues remain a glaring issue.
The Cavaliers sit comfortably with the No. 4 seed in the East, though they're 5-5 in the previous 10 games. The elite offense continues to run through Cavaliers G Donovan Mitchell, who posted 26 points and 11 assists vs. Dallas on Sunday. Cavaliers G James Harden and PF/C Evan Mobley have played well of late, too.
Harden’s average of 19.8 points and 7.3 assists per contest over his previous 10 outings leads the Cavaliers' supporting cast. Mobley posted 18.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game during the same stretch, giving the frontcourt stability to potentially cover the 10-point spread on Tuesday.
Cavaliers vs. Bucks Spread, Over/Under
The Cavaliers enter this matchup as 9.5-point road favorites, returning a 1.21x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Bucks are home underdogs with a 4.34x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 35 states.
- Spread: Cleveland Cavaliers -9.5
- Over/Under: 227.5
- Game Winner Payout: Cavaliers 1.21x | Bucks 4.34x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Cavaliers vs. Bucks Injury Report
Let’s dive into the full Cavaliers vs. Bucks injury report for Tuesday, via NBA.com.
Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report
- C Jarrett Allen (knee): OUT
- G Sam Merrill (hamstring): Questionable
- G Craig Porter Jr. (groin): OUT
- G Tyrese Proctor (quad): OUT
- G Jaylon Tyson (ankle): Probable
Milwaukee Bucks Injury Report
- F Giannis Antetokounmpo (ankle): Questionable
- F Ousmane Dieng (illness): Questionable
- C Myles Turner (calf): Questionable
Cavaliers vs. Bucks Prediction on Spread – 3/17/26
Here are some stats to know to help you make your Cavaliers vs. Bucks prediction for NBA picks on Tuesday, March 17.
- Cleveland enters Tuesday at 28-40-0 ATS (41.2%) on the season, while Milwaukee sits at 29-38-0 ATS (43.3%).
- Milwaukee is inconsistent ATS at home, going 15-19-0 ATS at Fiserv Forum.
- The Bucks are 1-4 outright and ATS in their last five games.
- According to NBA Advanced Stats, Cleveland ranks 14th in defensive rating (113.4), a tough matchup for a struggling Milwaukee offense averaging just 111.2 PPG (28th).
- The Cavaliers are highly unreliable as heavy favorites, going an underwhelming 5-12-1 ATS when laying 10 points or more.
- Milwaukee won the most recent meeting, 118-116, as a 2.5-point underdog, and Cleveland is without starting C Jarrett Allen (knee) for this road matchup.
Cavaliers vs. Bucks Picks for PrizePicks Today: 3/17/26
Here are two top Cavaliers vs. Bucks picks to target for Tuesday, March 17, on PrizePicks. Player stat projections via PrizePicks are headlined by Cavaliers G Donovan Mitchell and Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Cavaliers G Donovan Mitchell vs. Bucks Projection: 25.5 Points
- Mitchell averages 28.2 PPG, positioning him as the seventh-highest scorer in the NBA.
- Shouldering a heavier workload due to recent frontcourt injuries, he's generated 18.6 field goals per game over his last five.
- He serves as the undisputed focal point of Cleveland's offense, commanding a sky-high usage rate (31.4%; 12th in the NBA), while knocking down 3.4 three-pointers per outing.
- Milwaukee has been thoroughly dominated by opposing shooting guards, surrendering 22.8 points and 3.8 triples per game.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Cavaliers Projection: 37 Pts + Rebs
- If he's active today, Antetokounmpo is fresh off a dominant 31-point, 14-rebound performance vs. the Pacers on Sunday.
- He continues to command a notable workload with 16.6 shots per game, while averaging 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest.
- The superstar forward's seen his volume recently increase, attempting over 20 field goals and double-digit free throws in two of his last three outings.
- Cleveland's interior defense is exploitable without C Jarrett Allen, and it already surrenders 53.6 total rebounds per matchup (18th).
Make Cavaliers vs. Bucks Picks on PrizePicks
Will the Bucks snap their cold spell by taking advantage of the Cavaliers' thin frontcourt tonight?
You can make your Cavaliers vs. Bucks picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued NBA predictions, picks, and news.
