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New Orleans Pelicans vs Chicago Bulls Picks and Predictions for Sunday December 14 2025

By: Kim Smith Published 12/14/2025, 02:00 AM ET

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The New Orleans Pelicans (4–22, 1–10 away) travel to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls (10–14, 6–5 home) in a Sunday night matchup at 7:00 PM ET. New Orleans is trying to build off a rare win, while Chicago looks to gain traction after snapping a short skid. Before placing your bets on this matchup or the rest of the Sunday slate, be sure to review the latest analysis and edges available on our free NBA Picks page.

Team Overview: New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans remains buried at the bottom of the Western Conference despite flashes of offensive upside. The Pelicans average 114.2 points per game but surrender a troubling 123.5, making defensive stops extremely difficult to come by. Trey Murphy III has emerged as the team’s most reliable scorer at 21.2 PPG, providing efficient perimeter shooting and transition scoring. The Pelicans finally snapped a long skid with a blowout win over Portland, but that came at home—whereas road games have been a nightmare, with New Orleans posting just a 1–10 away record and routinely falling behind early.

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Team Overview: Chicago Bulls

Chicago sits at 10–14 and continues to live in high-scoring, high-variance games. The Bulls score 117.8 points per contest while allowing 122.7, reflecting defensive issues similar to New Orleans’. Josh Giddey leads the team at 20.5 PPG and has become the engine of Chicago’s offense, especially in transition and pick-and-roll actions. The Bulls are more comfortable at home, where they’ve managed a winning record, and they’re coming off a road win at Charlotte that showed improved late-game execution.

Key Players to Watch

Trey Murphy III (NO): New Orleans’ top scoring option, Murphy’s ability to stretch the floor and score efficiently is critical if the Pelicans want to keep pace. Josh Giddey (CHI): Chicago’s most versatile offensive piece, Giddey’s playmaking and rebounding advantage could overwhelm a Pelicans defense that struggles with ball movement. Zion Williamson (NO): Listed as a game-time decision, Zion’s availability would dramatically change New Orleans’ offensive ceiling and interior pressure.

Injury Report

New Orleans lists Zion Williamson as questionable, while Dejounte Murray remains out until January. Without Zion, the Pelicans lack consistent interior scoring and rim pressure. Chicago has several guards listed as game-time decisions, including Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, and Dalen Terry. Even if one or two sit, the Bulls maintain better overall depth than New Orleans.

Matchup Breakdown

This matchup features two poor defensive teams, but Chicago holds advantages in rebounding, ball movement, and home-court execution. New Orleans struggles to defend the perimeter and often allows extended scoring runs—something Chicago is capable of exploiting when shots fall. If Zion is inactive, New Orleans becomes heavily reliant on jump shooting, making them vulnerable to cold stretches. Chicago’s ability to attack mismatches and generate assists gives them the edge in sustaining offense across four quarters.

Betting Outlook

Chicago opened as a 5.5-point home favorite, a reasonable number given New Orleans’ 1–10 road record and defensive inefficiencies. The total is set extremely high, reflecting both teams’ tendency to play fast and defend poorly. Chicago’s slightly better structure and home success make them the more trustworthy side. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for the Bulls with the Fliff promo code. The best sportsbooks are the best way to go when you are betting on the Pelicans. Make sure when you place your Bulls vs Pelicans bet you are using the bet365 bonus code.

Final Score Prediction

Chicago Bulls 123, New Orleans Pelicans 114

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