Cavaliers vs. Bulls Picks & Odds: December 17, 2025

The 15-12 Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5, -110) have been the definition of inconsistent this season, but a Wednesday matchup with the Chicago Bulls (+5.5, -110), who have just one victory since November 24, could help right their ship. Or, should another loss manifest, it would be just the latest disappointment for a team that's already experienced plenty of it coming off a 64-win campaign.

Here's an expert pick and player prop for this matchup at the United Center on December 17, 2025, including a combination prop for a visiting guard that's had a great deal of success on the glass for his position.

Cavaliers vs. Bulls Betting Odds Tonight

Matchup: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m. ET

Team	Spread	Money	Total
Cleveland Cavaliers	-5.5 (-110)	-205	O 243.5 (-105)
Chicago Bulls	+5.5 (-110)	+172	U 243.5 (-115)

Cavaliers vs. Bulls Expert Picks Tonight

Cleveland Cavaliers -5.5 (-110)

Any memory of a five-game winning streak and 6-1 start for the Bulls has been quickly erased, as the team is just 4-14 since with a 28th-ranked offense (110.1 points per 100 possessions) and 24th-ranked defense (119.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) during that stretch. Their only two wins since November 22 have come against competition (Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets) that's currently beneath them in the standings with 12 combined victories, and they were both a struggle with an average margin of victory of just two points. Being at home hasn't been its salvation either, as Chicago has dropped four in a row by double digits in its backyard versus teams with a combined 31-74 record. The Bulls also failed to score more than 105 points in any of those defeats, even though they were battling bottom-third defenses. A 6-6 record covering the spread at home may look fine on paper, but all six successful covers came in their first six attempts from Oct. 22 through Nov. 10, and it's been all downhill since.

The Cavaliers, perhaps surprisingly, rank dead last in the ATS market at 8-19 after ranking third in 2024-25 with a 52-38-1 mark. They've blown covers in three-straight outings, four of their last five, and seven of their last nine, and this includes six-straight failed covers when entering as a betting favorite of 5.5 points or more. Evan Mobley will be sidelined for two-to-four weeks with a Grade 1 calf strain, with Wednesday marking his second missed game in a row after Cleveland fell 119-111 in overtime to the Hornets on Sunday. The team is just 7-6 the last two seasons when he doesn't suit up, but his absence may not hurt the Cavaliers a great deal considering they've lost just a single game to the Bulls since Oct. 22, 2022. This includes a 128-122 win on Nov. 5 at Rocket Arena in which Cleveland buried 17 triples at a 37-percent clip.

Chicago is 5-1 ATS when an underdog of 5.5 points or more in 2025-26, but the last cover under such circumstances was on Dec. 1 when the offense wasn't dry like it's been as of late. The Cavaliers still have plenty of firepower with the likes of Donovan Mitchell (O30.5 points, -106) and Darius Garland (O20.5, -120) available, and should they get out to an early lead, the Bulls' inability to keep pace offensively will once again lead to their downfall.

Cavaliers vs. Bulls Player Prop Tonight

Jaylon Tyson OVER 20.5 Points + Rebounds (-103 at Draft Kings)

Jaylon Tyson has reached an OVER on 20.5 combined points and rebounds in 12 of his 22 appearances this season for Cleveland. Of the 10 times in which he fell short, four came in the first four games when he was averaging just 21.5 minutes compared to the 30.5 he's played over his last 11 appearances. During those 11 games, the 23-year-old shooting guard has produced 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds with eight OVERs in this market, including six in the last seven games. He registered 17 points and seven boards the last time these two teams squared off, and while he did move to the second unit against Charlotte over the weekend, Tyson still saw 35 minutes of action en route to a double-double of 16 points and 13 boards, which was the most he'd played all season.

Cavaliers vs. Bulls Betting Trends Tonight

*All trends courtesy of Outlier

Jarrett Allen has exceeded 13.5 points in six of his last seven games on the road (18 points/game average).
Lonzo Ball has failed to exceed 4.5 assists in four of his last five games (3.4 assists/game average).
Coby White has failed to exceed 25.5 points + rebounds in seven-straight games at home (21.9 points + rebounds/game average).
Nikola Vucevic has failed to exceed 11.5 rebounds + assists in four of his last five games (9 rebounds + assists/game average).