Guide, odds, predictions and more

On Saturday, the 4-1 Milwaukee Bucks will look to end their four-game losing streak against the Eastern Conference's hottest team, the Cleveland Cavaliers (6-0), in the first of two home games.

However, Milwaukee at least has a clear rest advantage. Cleveland is fresh off a 120-109 victory over a Paolo Banchero-less Orlando Magic team on Friday night. The Bucks have been off since Thursday.

The action begins at 5:00 p.m. CT at Fiserve Forum and can be viewed on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin for Milwaukee fans, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio for Cavaliers fans, and on NBA League Pass or Fubo TV everywhere else.

According to oddsmaker The Action Network, the Bucks are a slight -2-point favorite to hand Cleveland its first loss of the season on Friday. Part of that is certainly thanks to the aforementioned rest advantage that Milwaukee currently enjoys.

They're really less optimistic about the Bucks. The Cavaliers – like so many NBA teams so far this year – have exactly the ability to best exploit Milwaukee's biggest weakness: strong guard play. All-Star Darius Garland has been on a full redemption spree this year after a facial injury sidelined him for much of the 2023-24 season.

The Vanderbilt product is averaging 19.0 points on .506/.429/1,000 shooting splits, 5.7 assists and 1.8 rebounds per night. Five-time All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, meanwhile, is averaging 23.5 points on a .514/.383/.750 slash line, 4.3 assists and 2.7 boards per game.

The Bucks' current starting guards, Damian Lillard and Gary Trent Jr., are allergic to playing defense. Something has to give. Look for the Cavaliers to pull out a narrow win, 110-104.

The Action Network reveals that the Bucks are one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the league. They rank third in the NBA with 37.0 boards per night. Cleveland, on the other hand, averaged the 10th-worst offensive rebounds in the league this year (15.5) – meaning that if Doc Rivers wants to do a little planning, he might do so to All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and former All -Defensive center Brook falls to Lopez, smashing the turf and preventing second chances for Cleveland's powerful frontcourt of center Jarrett Allen and power forward Evan Mobley.

These seasonal miniseries between conference rivals can be incredibly revealing. It will be fascinating to see what adjustments both Rivers and Kenny Atkinson's respective coaching staffs make between Saturday and Monday.

More money: Former NBA star blames Milwaukee's terrible start squarely on Doc Rivers