For the second time in three nights, the Cavaliers and Bucks hook up at Fiserv Forum on Friday night.
The Bucks took care of the Cavaliers on Wednesday, 126-116, as 6.5-point home favorites to grab their sixth win in their last seven games.
In the Bucks’ first game since firing coach Adrian Griffin, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a triple-double with 35 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists, while Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points.
The Bucks removed their rookie head coach Tuesday after 43 games, despite a 30-13 record, the second-best mark in the East.
Doc Rivers will take over a ready-made NBA championship team after inking a $40 million deal.
He’s tasked to get a star-laden Milwaukee team back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2021 by emphasizing defense and managing two superstars.
With Joe Prunty serving as Milwaukee’s interim coach, the Cavs saw a higher defensive intensity from the Bucks (12 “stocks” — nine steals, three blocks) on Wednesday.
It was only the fourth time in 12 games this month Milwaukee had held an opponent to fewer than 120 points.
Cleveland still owns a solid 26-16 record despite Wednesday’s loss, but that defeat snapped an eight-game winning streak. Four of those wins came at home against Washington twice, San Antonio and Brooklyn – all teams with losing records.
Another victory during the Cavs’ hot streak came against Milwaukee last Wednesday, 135-95, as two-point home favorites, but Antetokounmpo didn’t play in the game.
Milwaukee went through a 1-10 drought against the spread to start January before covering in Wednesday’s victory over Cleveland.
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In their last seven games as an underdog, the Cavaliers have a 2-5 record straight-up and against the spread, while posting an 0-2 mark against Milwaukee in the ’dog role this season.
The coaching change definitely put a charge in the Bucks and that should continue Friday against Cleveland.
The play: Bucks -6 (-108, FanDuel)