Two struggling teams do battle when the Chicago Bulls play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center on Wednesday, December 17.
The Cavaliers have dropped six of their last nine games overall, going 2-7 against the spread, while the Bulls have just one win in their last nine and are also 2-7 ATS.
Cleveland is a 5-point road favorite, but my Cavaliers vs. Bulls predictions explain why it’s hard to have faith in either side to cover a number these days. So, a player prop highlights my NBA picks for this divisional throwdown.
Cavaliers vs Bulls prediction
Cavaliers vs Bulls best bet: Nikola Vucevic double-double (+240)
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the season as one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference after a 64-win season. But thanks to some injuries and a slumping offense, the Cavs sit at 15-12 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Now, things are going worse for the Chicago Bulls, who are 1-8 in their last nine and seemingly can’t stop anyone from getting buckets.
But with two struggling teams, it can be hard to know what side to back, particularly when you have a moderate home underdog. So, instead, I’m circling back to those Cavaliers injuries and focusing on a Bulls player prop.
Right now, it’s All-Star Evan Mobley who will be sidelined for 2-to-4 weeks with a calf injury, which means Cleveland is missing one half of its twin towers combo with Jarrett Allen.
Allen has just returned from an injury of his own. And with one of those two bigs down for most of the season, the Cavs haven’t been as good as expected on the boards, ranking 17th in rebounding rate and 21st in opponent rebounds per game.
That has me looking at the Bulls' big man, Nikola Vucevic. It’s been a grind for Chicago this season, but Vucevic is still putting in effort, averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Now, his rebounding numbers have dipped a bit lately, but this matchup should get him back on track, particularly when you consider the Cavs and Bulls both play in the Top 10 when it comes to pace.
Vucevic has 10 double-doubles in 24 games, and at +240, I love the value for him to get No. 11 tonight.
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Cavaliers vs Bulls same-game parlay
If the Bulls do want to bust out of this slump, they’ll need to move the basketball, which they’ll have a great opportunity to do against the Cavs, who rank 15th in opponent assists per possession.
Coby White is averaging 5.0 assists per game this season and has five or more in six of his nine games played.
For the Cavs, despite their recent struggles, Jaylon Tyson has been a bright spot. The second-year shooting guard is averaging 13.1 points while shooting a crazy good 46.5% from 3-point range.
He’s hit multiple treys in 13 of his last 18 games overall, and the Bulls rank 20th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage. Give me Tyson to round out this SGP by hitting a couple more threes tonight.
Cavaliers vs Bulls SGP
- Nikola Vucevic double-double
- Coby White Over 3.5 assists
- Jaylon Tyson Over 1.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Garland gives a silver lining
Injuries have held Darius Garland back this season, but he looked great last time out, putting up 26 points. The Bulls have had some shaky defense all season, ranking 24th in defensive rating, so he should keep up the strong play.
Cavaliers vs Bulls SGP
- Nikola Vucevic double-double
- Coby White Over 3.5 assists
- Jaylon Tyson Over 1.5 threes
- Darius Garland Over 20.5 points
Cavaliers vs Bulls odds
- Spread: Cavaliers -5 | Bulls +5
- Moneyline: Cavaliers -200 | Bulls +165
- Over/Under: Over 242.5 | Under 242.5
Cavaliers vs Bulls betting trend to know
The Cavaliers have only covered the Spread in 21 of their last 59 games dating back to last season for -20.80 Units and a -32% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Bulls.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Bulls
| Location | United Center, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Wednesday, December 17, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FDSN Ohio, CHSN |
Cavaliers vs Bulls latest injuries
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