Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/10/2022

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

Where to watch: Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Wisconsin

DraftKings: Cavs -7

BetMGM: Cavs -6.5

Caesars: NL

Bucks: 51-30

Cavaliers: 43-38

The last day of the NBA's regular season is upon us. We've gotten this far and the best part is there are still some things worth fighting for into the last day. For example: The Cleveland Cavaliers can still host a play-in game and the Milwaukee Bucks can still clinch a top-2 seed in the East.

Based on the line, it appears one has conceded the fact that it doesn't matter where it wants to play between 2-4. The Bucks are going to get home-court advantage no matter what, and whether they get one or two rounds at home, it doesn't appear to matter to them.

The expectation is the Bucks will rest their starters, but there hasn't been a declaration of who will replace the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. But the Bucks come into the season finale on a three-game winning streak, with the latest being a 131-101 win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

Giannis finished with 30 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, while four of five starters finished in double figures. Brook Lopez had 17 points and made three 3-pointers, while the Bucks shot 49.5 percent from the floor.

"I knew I had to be aggressive and play downhill tonight," Antetokounmpo said. "Even when we had the big lead, I kept going, because this is the time of year when you build good habits. Now isn't the time to cheat the game."

How aggressive the defending NBA champions will be going into this final game remains to be seen. I don't blame Milwaukee for wanting to rest their guys for this finale, knowing they will in fact have home-court advantage no matter how this game results. But there is a difference in having to face either the play-in winner for the No. 7 seed, the Toronto Raptors or the Chicago Bulls.

As it pertains for the Cavaliers, no matter the actual outcome of this season, there's a lot to be excited for the future. But man, how horrible does this need to be to have such a great season, the first post-LeBron terrific season ever, and you might have to be relegated to a play-in game against the Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn with Kyrie Irving available?

Cleveland had to go without Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen for a long period of time, and now their absences are going to hurt. Good news is that Mobley should be available for Sunday as one of the Rookie of the Year favorites had been dealing with an ankle injury that forced a five-game absence. Cleveland went 1-4 in that run.

The Cavs are coming off an 11-point loss to the aforementioned Nets the other night to clinch the No. 7 seed. Mobley, who returned for that game, finished with 17 points as did Lauri Markkanen. They needed more despite Darius Garland scoring 31 points.

"I'm proud of the way they played and proud of the effort that they played with, the way they kept coming back and staying in the game," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "We had a few lapses, especially in that fourth quarter and when you have great players like they got, they make you pay."

You want to root for the underdog at all costs, and the Cavs are the story that you want to gravitate toward. However, their Cinderella run may come to an end if they can't find that extra gear against Brooklyn and/or Charlotte or Atlanta should everything fall into place over the next few days.

If the Bucks do in fact rest their starters, this is the kind of game you can lay the heavy money on Cleveland. The Cavs want at least the two chances to get to the playoffs, whether it be the No. 7 or 8 seed. They can't risk falling to that second tier and having to play for their playoff lives after such a successful season. Expect them to take care of business. Cavs by 12

Over is 5-0 in Bucks' last five when scoring 100 points or more in the previous game.

Cavs are 0-5 ATS in their last five as a favorite.

Under os 5-0-1 in the last six matchups in Cleveland.

PG: Jrue Holiday

SG: Wesley Matthews

SF: Khris Middleton

PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo

C: Brook Lopez

PG: Darius Garland

SG: Caris LeVert

SF: Isaac Okoro

PF: Lauri Markkanen

C: Evan Mobley

Cavs: Jarrett Allen (finger, out), Dean Wade (knee, out), Collin Sexton (knee, out)

Bucks: None

Points: Giannis Antetokounmpo -- 29.9

Rebounds: Giannis Antetokounmpo -- 11.6

Assists: Jrue Holiday -- 6.9

Points: Darius Garland -- 21.8

Rebounds: Jarrett Allen -- 10.8

Assists: Darius Garland -- 8.6