Bulls vs. Hawks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, Dec. 23

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Chicago Bulls-Atlanta Hawks matchup on Tuesday night.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is a solid prop target on Tuesday night.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is a solid prop target on Tuesday night. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls played an absolute barnburner on Sunday afternoon, combining for 302 points in a 152-150 win for Chicago.

These two teams both rank in the top five in the NBA in pace, so a high-scoring game was expected, but not on the level that actually occurred.

Both Trae Young (35 points) and Jalen Johnson (36 points) went off for Atlanta, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Bulls, who had nine different players finish in double figures on Sunday.

Chicago is now just one game back of Atlanta in the Eastern Conference standings and has won three games in a row heading into Tuesday’s rematch. 

The Hawks are favored at home in this game, but should bettors trust them to win and cover?

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

Bulls vs. Hawks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

  • Bulls +3.5 (-102)
  • Hawks -3.5 (-118)

Moneyline

  • Bulls: +142
  • Hawks: -170

Total

  • 254.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Bulls vs. Hawks How to Watch

  • Date: Tuesday, Dec. 23
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Venue: State Farm Arena
  • How to Watch (TV): CHSN, FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
  • Bulls record: 13-15
  • Hawks record: 15-15

Bulls vs. Hawks Injury Reports

Bulls Injury Report

  • Noa Essengue – out
  • Lachlan Olbrich – out
  • Emanuel Miller – out
  • Trentyn Flowers – out

Hawks Injury Report

  • Dyson Daniels – out
  • N’Faly Dante – out
  • Kristaps Porzingis – out
  • Nikola Djurisic – questionable
  • Mouhamed Gueye – questionable
  • Caleb Houstan – questionable
  • Eli John Ndiaye – out

Bulls vs. Hawks Best NBA Prop Bets

Note: These player prop picks were made before odds were released and are suggestions based on past player performance. 

Hawks Best NBA Prop Bet

  • Trae Young OVER Assists

Young has been on a minutes limit since returning from a knee injury, but he put up a huge stat line in less than 27 minutes on Sunday. The All-Star guard finished with 35 points and nine dimes, the second game in a row he’s recorded at least nine assists.

Young has three games with double-digit dimes in the 2025-26 season, and the Bulls rank just 24th in the league in opponent assists per game, as they have one of the worst defenses in the league. 

If this game also turns into a track meet – and history tells us it will – Young should be able to set his teammates up for several open looks. Plus, it’s worth noting he played about six more minutes than he did in his first game back, a sign that he’s nearing a return to his usual role in this Atlanta rotation. 

Bulls vs. Hawks Prediction and Pick

In two games this season, the Bulls and Hawks combined for 251 and 302 points, and I don’t see anything stopping another high-scoring game on Tuesday night.

These teams are No. 2 (Chicago) and No. 5 (Atlanta) in pace this season, and they both rank in the bottom 10 in the league in opponent points per game. In fact, these defenses are combining to allow over 242 points per game this season.

The Hawks had huge games from Young and Johnson on Sunday, but it still wasn’t enough for them to win the game, as they’ve now dropped three in a row. Meanwhile, the Bulls are a tough team to trust on the road, as they’re just 6-9 straight up in the 2025-26 campaign.

It feels like a square bet to take the OVER, but these teams are 18-12 (Atlanta) and 14-14 (Chicago) to the OVER this season.

Pick: OVER 254.5 (-115 at DraftKings)


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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Published
Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.