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Cavaliers visit Bucks, who allow 117.5 points per 100 possessions

Milwaukee is 1-4 with the 27th-ranked defense, and Cleveland arrives with Donovan Mitchell averaging 24.2 points.

Bucks' defensive rating of 117.5 ranks 27th of 30
Cavaliers' net rating is 0.9, Bucks' is -10.2
Mitchell 24.2 points a game, Herro 23.4

Published October 31, 2026 at 8:01 AM1 min read How this story was written

Final

Cleveland Cavaliers

Milwaukee Bucks

Box score and plays

The Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2) and their ninth-ranked foul-drawing rate visit the Milwaukee Bucks (1-4), who rank 27th in free throws allowed, on Saturday, October 31, at 8:00 PM ET.

Milwaukee allows 117.5 points per 100 possessions, and its opponent free-throw rate of 0.323 also ranks 27th. Cleveland's rate of 0.314 is ninth in the league, so the Cavaliers should find easy points.

The Bucks' edge is the offensive glass. They grab 30.5% of their misses, sixth in the league, while Cleveland's defensive rebound rate of 73.4% ranks 10th. Milwaukee also plays at the third-fastest pace in the league, 105.7.

Donovan Mitchell leads Cleveland at 24.2 points and 1.6 steals a game, and he shoots 87.1% at the line. Jarrett Allen adds 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.

Tyler Herro scores 23.4 points a game for Milwaukee on 50% shooting. Kel'el Ware pulls down 8.4 rebounds, and Myles Turner blocks 2.6 shots.

The Cavaliers are thin on the wing: Jaylon Tyson, Nae'Qwan Tomlin and Khalifa Diop are out, and Meleek Thomas is questionable. Milwaukee has no one on the injury report.

Milwaukee has lost four of its last five, including a 132-100 home defeat to Houston. Cleveland has lost two of its last five, the latest 114-111 at Atlanta.

Sportsbooks' prices give Cleveland a 74% chance to win, and Keel's projection has the Cavaliers at 72%.