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Good afternoon fellow gamblers, it's Chris Bengel back with you as we navigate a betting world that now includes several COVID-19 outbreaks in multiple sports. My biggest advice is make sure you're paying attention to the news prior to placing any wagers at the moment.

With all of that in mind, let's get to the picks that can make us some money tonight.

All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook

🔥 The Hot Ticket

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USATSI

🏀Suns vs. Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. | TV: TNT

The Pick: Suns -1.5 (-110): There's few teams that have been more impressive than the Suns so far this season. That's one of several reasons why I'm confident in backing them in this spot. Star guard Devin Booker is still out of the lineup as he deals with a hamstring strain. However, veteran point guard Chris Paul is showing no signs of slowing down and continues to be the straw that stirs the drink for Phoenix. Despite facing the Clippers last night, Paul is still scheduled to take the court for Tuesday's contest. 

Even if the future Hall of Famer ends up not playing, I'd still be confident in taking the Suns, who still boast the likes of Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. The Suns are a team that is averaging 110.8 points-per-game, which is good for eighth in the NBA. Phoenix has also only lost two consecutive games on one occasion this season, so it's likely that they'll be able to bounce back in this spot.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are a team that is in the midst of a five-game losing streak and have dropped eight of their last nine games. Without CJ McCollum in the lineup, Damian Lillard has had to shoulder the bulk of the scoring load and that's proved to be an uphill battle.

Key Trend: Suns are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game

💰 The Picks

🏀 NBA

Warriors vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m. | TV: TNT
The Pick: Stephen Curry Over 5.5 made threes (+100) -- Stephen Curry is on the brink of making history. Curry is just two threes away from becoming the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers made. The Warriors star trails Ray Allen by just one three after he connected on five shots from beyond the arc against the Pacers on Monday. Curry will clear the two threes that he needs with ease and I think it could end up being a very special night for the Golden State guard.

Curry has connected on at least six threes in three of his last six games. In addition, he has attempted at least 11 threes in each of those contests, so the opportunities will be there. It's also worth noting that the Knicks are allowing their opponents to shoot 35.3 percent from beyond the arc this season. Golden State has plenty of weapons, which will allow Curry to get open on a good amount of occasions throughout the night. In the world's most famous arena, I'm taking Curry to have a ton of success from the perimeter.

Key Trend: Curry has made at least six threes in three of his last six games

🏒 NHL

Golden Knights vs. Bruins, 7 p.m. | TV: NHL.TV

The Pick: Golden Knights (-105) -- As I mentioned earlier, there's been recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the sports world and the NHL has been hit extremely hard. On Tuesday, Bruins forwards Brad Marchand and Craig Smith were placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. As a result, both will miss Tuesday's game.

The loss of Marchand leads to an easy decision to back the Golden Knights in this spot. He leads the Bruins in points (27), goals (11) and assists (16) while also bringing a level of physicality to the ice.

The Golden Knights are also playing some of their best hockey of the season. This is a group that has won four of its last five games and 24-15 during that stretch. The Golden Knights are simply thriving with star forwards Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone back in the lineup. Pacioretty has been on an absolute tear since returning from a fractured foot. The Vegas star forward has scored goals in six consecutive games and registered 12 total points in the month of December. The Golden Knights' stellar offense, combined with the fact that the Bruins are shorthanded, should equal an easy win.

Key Trend: The Golden Knights are 4-1 in their last five games against a team with a winning record