In tonight's lone Eastern Conference tilt, the Chicago Bulls (10-15) play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-12) with an 8:00 p.m. ET tip off at the United Center.
Both clubs have struggled over their last ten outings, with the Cavs going 4-6, while the Bulls managed two wins to go with eight losses.
Let’s break down the matchup, make a Cavaliers vs. Bulls prediction and picks, and highlight some picks among PrizePicks player projections.
Cavaliers vs. Bulls Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
Cleveland has dominated this head-to-head matchup, taking nine of the previous ten. In the 2024-25 season, the Cavs went a perfect 5-0 against the Bulls while carrying a 3-2 record against the spread (ATS).
According to the NBA’s injury report, Cavs F Evan Mobley (calf) and guard Sam Merrill (hand) are out, while Chicago G Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) is questionable.
Cavaliers vs. Bulls Over/Under, Spread
PrizePicks Team Picks list the Cavaliers as 5.5-point favorites, returning a 1.47x payout with an outright win.
Chicago is a notable underdog with a 2.56x payout to win outright.
- Spread: Cleveland Cavaliers -5.5
- Total: 242.5
- Game Winner Payout: Cavaliers 1.47x | Bulls 2.56x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Cavaliers vs. Bulls Prediction on Spread
According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Cavaliers rank ninth in defensive rating. However, this is a different unit without Mobley, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year . Without him on the court, the Cavs ceded 117.5 points per game.
Proven by his 1.6 blocks per contest since last season, the one-time All-Star forward is an elite rim protector. Cleveland allows 53.0 points in the paint per contest with Mobley out of the lineup, compared to 47.9 on the season (ninth). Meanwhile, the Bulls sit sixth in points in the paint per game.
On the other side of the court, Chicago defends the triple well, holding opponents to a 39.6% 3-point shot distribution (ninth), per Dunks & Threes. The Cavaliers heavily rely on the trey, boasting a 47.7% 3-point shot distribution (third).
Cavaliers vs. Bulls Prediction, Picks
Below, we’ll dive into the stats for three Cavaliers vs. Bulls picks to target for Wednesday: Cleveland G Jaylon Tyson, Chicago C Nikola Vucevic, and F Matas Buzelis all merit consideration on PrizePicks.
Cavaliers G Jaylon Tyson vs. Bulls Projection: 12.5 Points
Tyson is on a roll in December, averaging 17.5 points per game (PPG) to go with a 61.2% field goal percentage (FG%) and a 47.8% mark from 3-point land.
After logging 12.6 PPG in November, the second-year wing has steadily seen his role increase with 32.8 minutes per game in December compared to 24.2 in October and 27.7 in November. Plus, we’ve seen the 2024 first-round pick’s 16.2% usage rate rise to 19.0% when Mobley is off the court, via FantasyLabs.
Chicago’s second-quickest pace in the Association has lead to opponents averaging 37.2 3-point shots per game (17th). According to NBA.com, Tyson lives behind the 3-point line, taking 47.8% of his shots from beyond the arc. He’ could be capable of making the Bulls pay on limited looks, shooting 46.5% on treys.
Bulls C Nikola Vucevic vs. Cavaliers Projection: 22.5 Points + Rebounds
Stat-wise, Chicago C Nikola Vucevic continues to lead the Chicago frontcourt, racking up 15.6 PPG and 9.1 rebounds per game (RPG). However, the veteran big man has logged only 13.0 PPG and 7.2 RPG in December.
Vucevic has taken 54.5% of his shots in the paint this season. (Keep in mind, opponents see a notable jump in paint points when Mobley’s out.) The 6'9" center totaled 15.5 PPG over his previous four road games.
In the rebounding department, Vooch snatches most of his boards on the defensive glass with a 21.3% rebounding rate. Among players with at least 20.0 minutes per game, Mobley ranks second on the Cavs with a 7.1% offensive rebounding percentage. Cleveland’s offensive rebounding won’t blow your socks off either, ranking 14th in the category.
Bulls F Matas Buzelis vs. Cavaliers Projection: 12.5 Points
Bulls second-year forward Matas Buzelis has averaged 14.8 PPG in December, but has yet to consistently tap into his three-level scoring potential, converting only 32.4% of his 3-point looks. Similar to Vucevic, most of his scoring is coming from around the rim, with 55.5% of the sophomore's attempts coming from within the paint.
One could argue Buzelis will benefit the most from Mobley’s absence, as Vucevic will still draw a matchup against Cleveland C Jarrett Allen (108.2 career defensive rating).
Cavs F Dean Wade and F De’Andre Hunter could be Buzelis’ primary defenders. The Chicago native’s mobility could cause trouble for Hunter, as his 118.3 defensive rating is the worst mark in Cleveland’s starting five.
Make Cavaliers vs. Bulls Picks on PrizePicks
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