Bucks vs. Cavaliers Wednesday NBA injury report, odds, props: Bettors backing Milwaukee, Damian Lillard over point total in most-wagered game of night
The most-wagered NBA game of Wednesday is Bucks at Cavaliers.
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The most-wagered NBA game of the nine-game Wednesday slate – always one of the busiest days around the league – at DraftKings is Milwaukee at Cleveland, with the Bucks at -4 on the SportsLine consensus. Milwaukee is taking huge action despite the Cavaliers currently being on an Eastern Conference-best five-game winning streak. They remain without starters Darius Garland and Evan Mobley and might be without sixth man Caris LeVert as well, while the Bucks are listing no one on the injury report.
Milwaukee is taking the second-most against-the-spread bets of all teams Wednesday with a 70% lean. It's also taking the second-most money and tickets (both 81%) on the money line at -180. There's split action on the total of 236.5 points, with 66% of the bets on the Over but just 19% of handle coming in on that side.
The Bucks come off a wild 143-142 overtime win over Sacramento on Sunday. It was the sixth time this season they've scored at least 140, tied for the franchise record (2018-19). Milwaukee is averaging a franchise-record 125.0 points per game. It is 6-0 when scoring at least 140 and 20-1 when reaching 125.
Damian Lillard hit about a 32-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to stun the Kings, his first buzzer-beating winner with his new team and the first for the Bucks since Jan. 4, 2017 at Madison Square Garden when Giannis Antetokounmpo did it. It was also the 2,500th made 3-pointer of Lillard's career. He had a team-high 29 points, scoring 13 in the fourth. Lillard's 92 points in "clutch time" are second in the league.
Lillard is taking the most action on the DraftKings points board tonight at Over 23.5 (-125). Utah's Lauri Markkanen had been right there for the most points action, but the Jazz's home game against Golden State was postponed due to a medical emergency regarding a Warriors assistant coach. Lillard, also taking heavy action on Over 2.5 3-pointers (-158), averages 23.9 points on the road this season compared to 26.0 at home.
It's the second meeting of the season between the Bucks and Cavs. Milwaukee won119-111 in Cleveland on Dec. 29 behind 31 points from Lillard and 34 points, 16 rebounds and five assists from Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak isn't taking overly heavy action on any individual props as of this writing. His points + rebounds + assists total is 51.5.
Cleveland returned from a trip to Paris with its fifth win in a row Monday, a 109-91 victory over Chicago – although we should say that each win in this stretch has been against a mediocre or bad team. The Cavs also claimed victories over Brooklyn (in Paris), San Antonio and Washington (twice).
It appears both Garland and Mobley are fairly close to returning, but they won't play Wednesday. LeVert is questionable with a wrist injury, which was heavily taped at the Wednesday morning shootaround. LeVert had 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against the Bulls and all his numbers are up with Garland and Mobley out. LeVert ranks third in the NBA this season in points per game off the bench at 16.4. He would start for many teams but has done so only once this season.
If LeVert is out too, Cavs All-Star Donovan Mitchell could be looking at an enormous workload. He's set at O/U 33.5 points, one higher than Antetokounmpo. Mitchell had 34 points Monday, his 12th game this season with at least 30. Under 33.5 (-105) is also a popular prop at DK, as is Mitchell Over 3.5 3-pointers (-130). In the first meeting vs. Milwaukee, he scored 27 points and made three triples.
Even with that earlier loss, the Cavs are 4-1 in their past five at home in this series and are 17-6 against teams in their Central Division over the last two seasons, including 10-2 at home. The Cavs are 10-3 (.769) in their last 13 games overall this season, the best winning percentage in the NBA over that span.
The Bucks will get a starter back from a long-term injury tonight in forward Jae Crowder, although he may not be a starter any longer. Crowder has been sidelined since suffering a left adductor and abdominal tear Nov. 11 and undergoing surgery. Crowder doesn't play heavy minutes but is one of those important 3-and-D players that every contender needs come playoff time.
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