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USATSI

Good afternoon gamblers, it's Chris Bengel arriving back in your inbox. I hope you've had a moment to breathe after a chaotic weekend in the sports world.

Out of that packed weekend, I'll remember the World Cup final the most. It was truly one of the most memorable sporting events I've witnessed. It was something out of a Hollywood script for the great Lionel Messi. Enough about the pitch, though. Let's get to Tuesday's picks.

All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook

🔥 The Hot Ticket

Bulls at Heat, 7:30 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV

  • Key Trend: The Bulls are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games
  • The Pick: Heat -4.5 (-110)

The Bulls have been absolutely floundering in recent weeks with four consecutive losses and a 2-7 stretch over their last nine games. While the Bulls have been struggling, the Heat have been the exact opposite.

Miami has rattled off four consecutive wins and one of the biggest reasons is Jimmy Butler. In December, Butler is shooting a mind-boggling 60.6 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Heat star has also topped the 20-point mark in six of his last seven games . 

The Heat have also been a very strong defensive team thus far. Entering Tuesday, Miami is surrendering just 109.0 points-per-game, which is the fifth-lowest clip in the NBA. Opponents are shooting just 35.5 percent from three against the Heat, which ranks in the upper half of the league. Meanwhile, the Bulls have struggled defensively allowing at least 120 points in three of their last four games, including yielding a staggering 150 points to the Timberwolves on Sunday.

💰 More NBA Picks

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Jazz at Pistons, 7 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV

The Pick: Pistons +2.5 (-110) -- The Jazz were a true cinderella story out of the gate this season, but have cooled off in a big way. Utah has lost four of its last six games and misses star guard Collin Sexton. That's why I'm confident in siding with the underdog Pistons on their home floor in this spot.

The Pistons may be 8-24, but their record ATS has been pretty remarkable. Detroit is 9-2-2 ATS over their last 13 games when facing a team with a winning record. In addition, the Pistons are 4-1-1 ATS following a straight-up loss. The Pistons are coming off a 124-121 loss at the hands of the Nets, but have scored at least 113 points in each of their last four contests. 

On the other hand, the Jazz are allowing 116.2 points-per-game, which is 24th in the NBA. This is a group that has yielded at least 122 points in each of their past three games. With neither defense being ridiculously efficient, I expect this to be a high-scoring, closely-contested affair. The Pistons should be able to keep it close and could even win this one outright.

Key Trend: The Pistons are 9-2-2 ATS in their last 13 games against a team with a winning record

Wizards at Suns, 9 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV
The Pick: Kyle Kuzma Over 21.5 Points (-119) -- A lot of what the Wizards do offensively revolves around Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, but it's been Kyle Kuzma that has thrived lately. He has tallied at least 22 points in four of his last six contests, including a 22-point performance against the Lakers on Sunday. Additionally, the former first round pick is shooting at a 40.0 percent clip from long-range.

The Suns are one of the league's better defensive teams, but one area where they do struggle is defending the three. Phoenix is allowing opponents to shoot 36.6 percent from beyond the arc (22nd in the NBA). In terms of traditional field goal percentage, opponents are connecting on 46.6 percent of their shots against them, which is just 15th in the league. Kuzma is a volume shooter with an average of nearly 18 shots per contest, so he should have plenty of opportunities to get to the 22-point plateau.

Key Trend: Kuzma has scored at least 22 points in four of his last six games