Charlotte Hornets vs Chicago Bulls: Trends, Predictions, And Picks
The Charlotte Hornets can’t call on a winning NBA Cup record for confidence in an awful November. Could a tournament contest against the 9-8 Chicago Bulls, who have also struggled…
The Charlotte Hornets can't call on a winning NBA Cup record for confidence in an awful November. Could a tournament contest against the 9-8 Chicago Bulls, who have also struggled to win in the event, help the Hornets out of a downturn? We'll find out when Charlotte hosts Chicago at 7:30 p.m. EST this Friday.
The Chicago Bulls would be faring pretty well … if it wasn't for NBA Cup games. The high-scoring Bulls defeated the Denver Nuggets 130-127 and the Portland Trail Blazers 122-121 in succession early last week, but were then embarrassed 143-107 by the Miami Heat in the NBA Cup last Friday. The loss triggered a rash of poor defense that led to a 143-130 loss to 3-15 New Orleans early this week.
Charlotte has given up its share of points on home hardwood. But if Black Friday's scoring markets for the Hornets-Bulls clash look stuck in the red as bettors don't bite on the high side, it's because of a landslide of injury woes that's hurting the Bulls, making Chicago happy about getting four days off prior to tipoff.
This preview's data was collected on Nov. 26, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Charlotte Hornets vs Chicago Bulls Betting Trends
- The Charlotte Hornets are 1-9 in their last 10 games against Chicago.
- Chicago has lost only one of its last four road games in regulation.
- Totals have gone under in nine of the teams' last 13 encounters.
Charlotte Hornets vs Chicago Bulls Injury Reports
Charlotte Hornets
- Center Ryan Kalkbrenner is day-to-day with an ankle injury.
- Guard Pat Connaughton is day-to-day with a calf strain.
- Guard Josh Green is out with a shoulder injury.
- Forward Grant Williams is out with a knee injury.
Chicago Bulls
- Center Nikola Vucevic is day-to-day with right knee soreness.
- Forward Patrick Williams is day-to-day with a wrist injury.
- Forward Isaac Okoro is out with a back injury.
- Forward Trentyn Flowers is out with an illness.
- Forward Dalen Terry is out with a calf strain.
- Forward Zach Collins is out with a wrist injury.
Charlotte Hornets vs Chicago Bulls Predictions and Picks
Josh Giddey, Chicago's most prolific shooting guard, is escaping the Bulls' injury bug. However, the team is as badly bruised in the frontcourt as any Eastern Conference lineup. No less than five forwards are on a Chi-Town injury list that includes center Nikola Vucevic's knee problem. Patrick Williams' wrist injury is a further blow to Chicago's scoring depth at a time when the Bulls are surrendering a ton of points.
Vucevic scored 25 points when the Bulls beat the Hornets 131-117 in the last meeting on April 6, giving Chicago its ninth win over Charlotte in 10 regular-season games. The Swiss basketballer scored 28 in the Bulls' 121-120 victory over the Wizards on Saturday, but went on to miss the next tilt against the Pelicans, adding to a "long injury list" for Chicago as reported by Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation. Schuster adds that forwards "Dalen Terry and Isaac Okoro (remained) out" for a Bulls-Pelicans bout filled with backups.
You can't expect Chicago to maintain its furious pace of offense in the Bulls' wounded condition. Consider the ailing Charlotte Hornets as a potential surprise win on the money line, or at least against the spread.
