Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers: preview, predictions and stats

An uneven contest is expected in Wisconsin, where a struggling Milwaukee Bucks side host a Cleveland Cavaliers team that are once again among the best in the Eastern Conference. Incidentally, it looks as though Evan Mobley is finally taking off for good.

Bucks vs Cavaliers date and time

Date: 31 October 2026, in the early hours of 1 November in UK time.

Time: These are the Bucks vs Cavaliers start times by time zone.

United Kingdom	00:00
Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela	20:00
Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua	19:00
Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles)	17:00
Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay	21:00
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama	20:00

Venue: Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Bucks vs Cavaliers starting fives

The hosts go into the game with no injury absences, while the Ohio side will be without Jaylon Tyson and Meleek Thomas is a doubt until the last minute.

BUCKS	CAVALIERS
Ryan Rollins	James Harden
Tyler Herro	Donovan Mitchell
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	Peyton Watson
Kyle Kuzma	Evan Mobley
Myles Turner	Jarrett Allen

Bucks vs Cavaliers: best bet

Despite playing away from home, the gulf in quality should be key in favour of the Cavs, who nonetheless arrive on the back of a defeat to the Atlanta Hawks.

Latest Bucks news: injuries and form

The era after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s departure has started with plenty of problems for Milwaukee; so much so that they have lost four of their first five games, and are the fourth-worst team in the NBA for points conceded, with 124.2 per game.

In truth, this is no surprise at all. The team is far from being built to compete with the best, and the arrival of Tyler Herro has not given them a big boost beyond the classic story of the local boy coming home.

At least they are avoiding injuries, so they can use all their players and try things out without having to think about replacing one or another.

Player to watch: Tyler Herro

The wins are not coming, but not because Tyler Herro is playing badly. The guard is averaging 23.4 points per night with an excellent 47.3 per cent from three. His offensive work is undeniable, but the team is far from being as solid as they would like.

Latest Cavaliers news: injuries and form

A very ‘Cavalier’ start to the season. At times they are brilliant, but they also suffer the classic lapses in concentration that lead them to lose games they should close out.

The thing is, they are a very recognisable team with a very high floor; as high as their two towers, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who remain the owners of the paint. They are very good, yes, but that has not stopped them losing their last game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Of course, we will also have James Harden and Donovan Mitchell on the court, while Meleek Thomas is a doubt until the last minute.

Player to watch: Evan Mobley

He is playing really well. His averages of 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists are similar to those of previous seasons, but his impact is greater and comes in more decisive moments. Tonight he must be key to avoid any trouble in Milwaukee.

Bucks vs Cavaliers: head-to-head record

The two sides have met 241 times, with 131 wins for today’s hosts against 108 for the Ohio team. The overall trend is clear, but in the last 10 meetings the Cavs have dominated, winning 8-2.

Bucks vs Cavaliers predictions

Donovan Mitchell over 24.5 points. Cleveland’s big star and a compulsive scorer. He should shine in his own right and be the top scorer for his team, and for the game.

Cleveland Cavaliers handicap -8.5. The Ohio side should make their superior level count and win with some comfort; however, we do not expect a rout.

Over 226.5 total points. Milwaukee’s weak defence and Cleveland’s attacking potential should lead to a high-scoring and, of course, entertaining contest.