The Detroit Pistons might be relieved a bit when their season ends. Bettors will be very sad to see them go.

The 2021-22 Pistons are the difference between how the non-betting public views a team and how bettors see it. On the surface the Pistons are a big disappointment again, a 23-56 team with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, long ago eliminated from the playoff race.

Meanwhile, any bettor who caught onto what the Pistons have done since mid-February might be looking into buying a Cade Cunningham jersey. The Pistons have covered the spread in 19 of their last 22 games. It's nearly impossible to find anything in sports betting that pays off at 86% over two months. But the Pistons have.

Detroit tries to keep its hot ATS streak going when it hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. The Pistons are 8.5-point underdogs at BetMGM.

Even the casual fan, if they have noticed at all, knows the Pistons have played much better late this season. They haven't just covered huge spreads, they have some nice straight-up wins. Detroit has won three in a row including one over the Philadelphia 76ers. They also have wins at Boston and at Toronto over the past couple months. The Pistons haven't exactly arrived, but behind Cunningham and others they are playing much better. Detroit will likely come into next season under the radar, still a value on the betting line, but bettors who have been riding their hot streak will not be too surprised if the Pistons break out next season.

Late in the season, it's hard to figure out the NBA. Some teams look unmotivated, because they're at the end of of a rough season or they don't have a lot to gain in the standings and are resting for the playoffs. It's fun when you can find a hidden gem like the Pistons, who are playing hard and covering spreads. It's just too bad Detroit's season has to end soon.

Here's a first look at the sports betting slate for Wednesday:

Six NBA games on tap

National television audiences have seen way too much of the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers this season. Soon they'll be off our televisions as the playoffs start. But on Wednesday night the Knicks are the first game of ESPN's doubleheader as they face the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are 6.5-point favorites over a Knicks team that made the playoffs last season and took a big step back this year.

The best game on the schedule might be the Boston Celtics at the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls' problems against the best teams in the NBA are pretty well known by this point, and they continued with a blowout loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. The Bulls are a 7.5-point favorite as their once-promising season fades.

NHL has five games

The NHL also is late in its season, so it's worth checking out which teams can move up the standings before the playoffs start. The best game in the NHL is between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals, with the Lightning as a -145 favorite on the road.

There isn't much else on the schedule, but that will change Thursday when Major League Baseball has its opening day and the first round of The Masters begins.

What's the best bet?

What, I'm supposed to go against the Pistons now? The Mavericks are another team that has been very good to bettors lately so it's a little harder to punch a Pistons ticket against them, but I'll ride with Detroit's hot streak for another night.