NBA Prop Bets for the Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers (12/17) | Betting News
Written by: Danny Burke
Published: Wed Dec 17, 2025, 12:37 pm ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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Happy Wednesday, everyone! There's just a pair of basketball games tonight, but I still have a couple of props to dish out. I'll specifically be focusing on the Bulls vs the Cavaliers.
We're coming off a 3-0 sweep on Monday night, bringing us to a season-long record of 67-44, up +16.95 units. Let's look to add to that with our NBA Prop Bets for the Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page.
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NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, December 17
Lonzo Ball Over 8.5 Rebounds + Assists (+108)
This isn't the first time Lonzo Ball will be facing his former team, but it will be his first time returning to the United Center as a member of the Cavaliers.
He played the Bulls twice in the preseason – one of those games did take place in Chicago – but, again, that was preseason. In the regular season, back on November 8, Ball logged 22 minutes and finished with four rebounds, four assists and two points at home against the Bulls.
On the year, he's averaging 5.6 points, 4.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds. I view tonight as a strong opportunity for him to go over his combined rebounds and assists prop of 8.5.
Over the course of the season, he's gradually improved his production on the glass, going from 4.0 rebounds per game in October, to 4.5 in November and now 5.3 through four games in December. The Bulls rank 19th in rebounding percentage (49.5%), and there should be plenty of missed shots given how inefficient Chicago's offense has been, paired with how formidable Cleveland's defense can be.
The Cavaliers rank top-10 in both defensive points per 100 possessions allowed and effective field goal percentage. Meanwhile, Chicago sits 24th and 17th offensively in those same categories.
As for assists, there's no reason Ball can't exceed his season averages here either. The Bulls are allowing 27.3 assists per game, which ranks 20th, and Ball is averaging eight potential assists per game. That's a number he can reasonably play closer to than his true average, especially against a Chicago defense that continues to struggle. The Bulls rank 20th in defensive points per possession and 18th in eFG% allowed.
When you factor in the statistical edge, along with the added motivation of playing in front of his former home crowd, this sets up as a quality prop spot.
Matas Buzelis Under 12.5 Points (-109)
Our second prop will zone in on second-year forward Matas Buzelis. Many people, myself included, expected this season to be a major breakthrough for the 2024 first-round pick. However, for whatever reason, head coach Billy Donovan continues to limit his role.
Buzelis is logging fewer than 30 minutes per game, yet he's still averaging over 13 points. So why am I backing the under?
Simply put, this is a difficult matchup for him – and for the Bulls as a whole. Both teams are coming off two days of rest, which should favor the Cavaliers more than Chicago. Cleveland is a team that takes pride in its defensive identity, and with the added rest, they should have even more energy on the defensive end.
As already noted, this Cavaliers defense ranks top-10 in both points per possession and eFG% allowed. A majority of Buzelis' shot attempts come at the rim, and Cleveland happens to own the third-best opponent field goal percentage allowed from that area.
In their first meeting, Buzelis was limited to four points. I'm not necessarily expecting a performance that low again, but I do project him to stay below 12.5 points tonight.
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Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.
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