Bulls vs. Hawks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Sunday, Dec. 21

The Hawks are looking to improve upon a pedestrian record at home.

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is a solid prop target on Sunday. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Sunday’s NBA action opens with an afternoon meeting between two Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls in the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks.

Chicago got off to a fast start this season, but it has slipped under .500, winning just seven of its last 10 games. However, Chicago has knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers in back-to-back matchups, putting it in a solid spot heading into this game with the Hawks.

Atlanta got Trae Young (knee) back in the lineup on Thursday in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets, and then it was promptly blown out by the San Antonio Spurs on the second night of a back-to-back on Friday.

So, the Hawks have slipped all the way to the No. 9 seed in the East, and they’d actually match up with the Bulls in a hypothetical play-in tournament matchup if the season ended today.

Jalen Johnson has been an All-Star level performer for the Hawks this season, but they’ve lost three games by 20 or more points so far this month. Can they turn things around as a home favorite on Sunday?

Here’s a look at the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for this Eastern Conference clash. 

Bulls vs. Hawks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Bulls +4.5 (-102)
• Hawks -4.5 (-118)

Moneyline

• Bulls: +145
• Hawks: -175

Total

• 247.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Bulls vs. Hawks How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, Dec. 21
• Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: State Farm Arena
• How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local), CHSN
• Bulls record: 12-15
• Hawks record: 15-14

Bulls vs. Hawks Injury Reports

Bulls Injury Report

• Ayo Dosunmu – probable
• Noa Essengue – out
• Lachlan Olbrich – out
• Trentyn Flowers – out
• Jalen Smith – probable
• Coby White – questionable
• Emanuel Miller – out

Hawks Injury Report

• Kristaps Porzingis – out
• Eli John Ndiaye – out
• N’Faly Dante – out
• Nikola Djurisic – out
• Caleb Houstan – doubtful

Bulls vs. Hawks Best NBA Prop Bets

Hawks Best NBA Prop Bet

• Trae Young 8+ Assists (-157)

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I’m betting on Young in his second game back from an MCL injury: 

After missing over a month with an MCL sprain, Trae Young returned to action against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, putting up eight points, 10 assists and a steal in just over 20 minutes of action.

There’s a good chance Young remains on a minutes limit on Sunday, but the star guard has proven that he can still dish out a ton of assists in limited action. Young has averaged double-digit dimes for three seasons in a row and at least 8.1 assists per game in every season in his NBA career.

Now, he takes on a Chicago team that is just 23rd in the NBA in opponent assists per game and 27th in opponent points per game.

In limited action this season, Young is averaging 8.2 assists on 14.3 potential assists per game. He has three games with at least 10 dimes, and I think he’s a steal at this number against a terrible Chicago defense. 

Bulls vs. Hawks Prediction and Pick

The first meeting between these teams this season finished with 251 combined points, and I think we could see another track meet on Sunday afternoon.

The Hawks and Bulls both rank in the top five in the NBA in pace this season, and they’ve struggled on the defensive end as well.

Chicago is just 21st in the league in defensive rating and 27th in opponent points per game while the Hawks are 16th in defensive rating and 22nd in opponent points per game. 

The OVER is 17-12 in Atlanta’s games, and it’s 9-5 when the Bulls are on the road in the 2025-26 season.

Both of these teams have not played well in recent weeks, but the return of Trae Young should bolster the Atlanta offense. It combined for 259 points in Young’s first game back against the Hornets.

Don’t be shocked if both of these teams push 130 points on Sunday afternoon. 

Pick: OVER 247.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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