Two teams currently in free-fall mode try to stay within play-in range in the Eastern Conference, as the Chicago Bulls visit the Charlotte Hornets.
Somehow it's the Bulls – losers of seven straight – favored by 2.5 points in this one.
My Bulls vs. Hornets prediction and NBA picks have Chicago taking advantage of a Charlotte roster currently in flux.
Bulls vs Hornets prediction
Bulls vs Hornets best bet: Chicago Bulls -3 (-110)
It appears the Chicago Bulls have hit their rock bottom, getting crushed by the Golden State Warriors 123-91, a team playing without both Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
It's Chicago's lowest scoring output of the season by far, and it's the third straight game they've lost by double digits.
A team that usually scores better than 117 points is averaging 109.4 during this 7-game slide, while allowing 121.4 points. The Bulls are allowing teams to shoot 49.4% from the field and a crisp 38.1% from 3-point range.
The Charlotte Hornets aren't exactly cooking, getting rolled by the Denver Nuggets last time out, 115-106, their third loss in the previous four games.
The Hornets have just three wins over the last 13. Two, inexplicably, have come against the Toronto Raptors, and the other were against these same Bulls, who dumped the Bulls 123-116 early in their losing streak.
Charlotte's biggest problem, though, isn't their 111.4 scoring average or the 118.5 they're allowing at home during this extended slump. It's their revolving door of players as the injuries have piled up.
Guards LaMelo Ball (ankle), Pat Connaughton (calf), Collin Sexton (quadriceps), Tre Mann (knee), and forward Grant Williams (knee) have all been ruled out for Friday, while Moussa Diabate (knee), the team's leading rebounder, is questionable.
There's not a lot to work with for rookie Kon Knueppel and forwards Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges.
While Charlotte has won two of the last three, the larger picture shows Chicago dominating this head-to-head, with eight wins in 10 games and going 8-2-0 against the spread as well.
I like the Bulls to snap their skid against a Charlotte lineup that's far from its normal self.
Bulls vs Hornets same-game parlay
Josh Giddey is the Bulls' main setup man, but he's struggled in that role of late, and the books have him a bit high at 9.5 dimes. He's only hit double-digit assists once in his last seven games.
The books are also too high on rookie Kon Knueppel's scoring number. The fourth overall pick in this year's draft has only scored 19 points once in his last four games. Knueppel also had just 12 points in his first-ever meeting against the Bulls.
Bulls vs Hornets SGP
- Chicago Bulls -3
- Josh Giddey Under 9.5 assists
- Kon Knueppel Under 18.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Miller's Misses!
Brandon Miller is coming off a 4-for-9 shooting mark from downtown in the loss to Denver, but he's hit four or more threes just three times in his eight appearances this season. While one of those was a 5-for-11 performance against Chicago, it's his only 4+ make game vs the Bulls in six career games.
Nikola Vucevic is coming off two of his lowest-rebound efforts in losses to the Warriors (6 reb) and Pacers (4 reb). Charlotte is a good team to bounce back on: he grabbed 11 boards in their only meeting this season, and has at least 10 rebounds in six straight against the Hornets.
Bulls vs Hornets SGP
- Chicago Bulls -3
- Josh Giddey Under 9.5 assists
- Kon Knueppel Under 18.5 points
- Brandon Miller Under 3.5 made threes
- Nikola Vucevic Over 8.5 rebounds
Bulls vs Hornets odds
- Spread: Bulls -3.5 (-110) | Hornets +3.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Bulls -155 | Hornets +125
- Over/Under: Over 234.5 (-115) | Under Under 234.5 (-105)
Bulls vs Hornets betting trend to know
Charlotte has cashed the Under in eight straight games. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Hornets.
How to watch Bulls vs Hornets
| Location | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC |
| Date | Friday, December 12, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | CHSN, FDSN-Southeast Charlotte |
Bulls vs Hornets latest injuries
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