The upcoming NBA clash between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls is on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. It's shaping up to be a fun one, especially with the Bulls desperate to snap their four-game losing streak at home by taking down Cleveland.
Chicago's been holding their own somewhat against Eastern Conference teams, sitting at 7-10 in those matchups. They're seventh in the East for scoring, putting up 117.2 points per game while hitting 46.8% of their field goals. Not too shabby when they're firing on all cylinders.
Over on the Cavs' side, they've gone 12-9 against conference foes. Cleveland ranks fifth league-wide in three-pointers made, averaging 15.0 from deep every night and shooting 33.9% beyond the arc. Donovan Mitchell's been the spark plug there, leading the squad with 4.0 threes per game on a sharp 38.1% clip.
When you look at the three-point numbers, it's tight. The Bulls are knocking down 13.8 triples per game this season, that's just 0.7 more than the 13.1 that Cleveland's defense allows on average. Flip it around, and the Cavs' 15.0 makes are 1.4 ahead of the 13.6 the Bulls give up. Whoever heats up from outside might just steal this one.
This'll be the second time these teams meet up this year. Back on November 9, Cleveland edged them out 128-122. De'Andre Hunter dropped 29 points to lead the Cavs, while Isaac Okoro chipped in 19 for Chicago. Expect some revenge vibes from the Bulls.
Let's break down the last 10 games for both squads, 'cause that tells a story.
For the Bulls: They're 2-8 over their last 10, averaging 112.0 points, grabbing 43.2 rebounds, dishing 26.0 assists, snagging 7.7 steals, and blocking 3.3 shots per game. They're shooting 45.5% from the field, but their opponents? They've been lighting them up for 121.0 points a night. Defense has been leaky, man.
The Cavaliers? A bit better at 4-6 in their last 10. They're averaging 116.7 points, 46.5 boards, 26.4 assists, 9.1 steals, and a strong 4.5 blocks while hitting 44.9% of shots. Foes are getting 116.4 points against them, pretty even there.
The Cavaliers will be rolling into the United Center to face the Chicago Bulls, and I'm locking in the Moneyline (ML) for the road team. Forget the home-court advantage narrative, the Cavs are simply the better, more composed club right now. The Bulls, despite their up-tempo, fast-paced offensive philosophy, have been wildly inconsistent, stumbling through a genuinely rough patch with a dismal 2-8 record in their last 10 games and conceding an average of over 121 points to opponents in that stretch. Their high-octane style is resulting in empty possessions and defensive lapses, not W's.
The Cavaliers, by contrast, operate with an almost surgical precision. While they are managing some tough injuries, including star defensive anchor Evan Mobley (OUT), their depth and systematic cohesion has allowed them to maintain a higher floor of consistent performance. Their offense is a masterful blend of player chemistry and ball movement, with Donovan Mitchell acting as the offensive centrifuge, the gravity pulling the defense in before kicking out.
The head-to-head matchup heavily favors my pick, with the Cavaliers currently riding a five-game winning streak against the Bulls. The star power of Mitchell, complemented by the playmaking of Darius Garland, the two-way strength of De'Andre Hunter, and the high-IQ defense of Jarrett Allen, creates too many problems for a struggling Chicago defense to solve. The narrative is clear: Cleveland is riding a wave of superior talent and recent head-to-head dominance into a dysfunctional Chicago defense. Settle in, uncork the bottle, and watch the Cavaliers ride out of the Windy City with the 'W.' We are locking in the Cavaliers Moneyline!
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