Our free NBA Picks are out for Wednesday, October 27th, 2021! Make sure you check our NBA Picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free NBA Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics – 7:30pm EDT
The Boston Celtics have turned things around, winning their last two games and regaining some confidence in the roster. They now host a Washington Wizards side that has won two of their three games, but is coming off a 14 points loss to the Nets.
Tim Newton
I am backing in Boston, as I believe they may have turned the corner and finally arrived for the 2021/22 season. They have looked much better in their last two games, including an overtime win over the previously undefeated Hornets. Jayson Tatum erupted in that game, going off for 41 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Jaylen Brown also chipped in with 30 points and nine boards.
The big thing for me was that Dennis Schroder started in the game. He is a natural point guard, which Marcus Smart, Tatum and Brown aren’t. This allowed the Boston offense to flow a lot better, and Schroder relished the increased opportunity, finishing up with 23 and eight assists as well.
That was against a terrible Charlotte defense, however Washington’s may not be that much better. They have started off the year well but their wins are over the helpless Raptors and a terrible defensive side in Indiana. That doesn’t bode well for the Wizards, coming up against the Celtics, who are a perennial playoff side.
Looking deeper into Washington’s stats, Bradley Beal has only played in two games (missing the other through injury) and hasn’t eclipsed 23 points yet, Spencer Dinwiddie has only scored over 13 points in one of his three games and while Kyle Kuzma has had double digit rebounds in all three games, he has only shot better than 34% in one of them.
I think this should be a comfortable win for Boston, but I am happy to play it safe and take them to win straight up.
Tim’s NBA Pick: Boston Celtics (-198)
Denis Kirilov
The Washington Wizards will face the Boston Celtics at their TD Garden. The Celtics began their campaign with 2 straight losses against the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors. In their next games they made up for the bad performance in the openers, but Boston was still far away from the level they wanted to be. They put up just 107 points against a young and inexperienced Rockets’ team. In their last match the Celtics had to force an overtime in order to beat the Charlotte Hornets 140-129.
The Washington Wizards, on the other end, are looking a bit better than last season. They started off with 2 wins – a clean 15-point win against the Raptors and a tight 1-point win after overtime against the Pacers. In their 3rd game of the season, they lost to the Brooklyn Nets who had to put their anger onto somebody after their defeat against the Hornets two days earlier. Here, I believe that we will watch a close match and I think the 3-pointers made might be the deciding factor for the outcome. Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertans, and Kyle Kuzma know how to come up clutch in such a tight affair. However, I will secure my pick by buying some points in the spread with the WIzards.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Alternative Spread – Washington Wizards +6.5 (-150)
Jaylen Brown scored 46 points in the Celtics season opener and Jayson Tatum scored 41 on Monday.
They’re the 5th pair of teammates in NBA history with a 40-point game within their team’s first 4 games of a season. pic.twitter.com/CdHp66JxtV
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 26, 2021
Michael Lantz
After two tough losses to start the season, the Boston Celtics are back at .500. On Monday night they got a gritty OT win against a previously undefeated Charlotte Hornets team; they got big games from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum who scored 30 and 41 respectively. Boston’s defense has looked a little suspect, something they prided themselves on in the past. Still with their talent, they’ll be tough to stop if they get going.
Meanwhile Washington has enjoyed the contributions from their multiple newcomers this season. While they wait on a few players to return from injury, they’ve been able to give star guard Bradley Beal some help. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie put up 34 points in a Friday win against the Pacers and Kyle Kuzma has been averaging 13 rebounds a game. Despite a 14-point loss to Brooklyn on Monday night, the Wiz have got to be excited with what they see from their role players. Based on some of the offensive outputs I’ve seen from these teams so far, I’m gonna trust them to go Over in this one.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Over 226 (-108)
Noah Dunlap
I was thinking Boston was a contender this season, and then I began to doubt that, following the way they started the year. However, I’m back on board with my pick, as I’m beginning to like what I see from the C’s. Starting with an expected win over the Houston Rockets, and then following that up with an OT win over the previously undefeated Charlotte Hornets, they are finally starting to look like the team I was expecting to see from the very beginning. With Jaylen Brown playing phenomenal basketball so far this season, and with Jayson Tatum looking like he may have hit his stride, the offense is looking much better, and with a decent defense (when they want to put in the effort), I think the Celtics are set to be a contender in the East.
Washington, on the other hand, has me concerned. They’ve played decent ball so far this season, but with Bradley Beal looking slightly shakier than expected, and with Kyle Kuzma picking up right where he left off last year as being a mediocre shooter, I’m not sure I trust Washington to be able to keep up with the scoring Boston can put up. I’m not sure that they put this away though, so I’m not comfortable taking them to cover the 4.5 spread, so instead simply give me Boston on the moneyline and take what you can get from it.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Boston Celtics (-198)
Miami Heat @ Brooklyn Nets – 7:30pm EDT
Following their comfortable win over the Magic to start the week, the Miami Heat get on the road to take on a bruised, battered and vulnerable Brooklyn Nets side. The Nets have started the season just 2-2 and aren’t looking like the NBA Title favorites that everyone pegged them to be, but can they show some fight against a gritty Miami side?
Tim Newton
The Nets have seemed to struggle against the good teams so far this season. If the Sixers didn’t have a five-minute, fourth quarter meltdown, then Brooklyn would be 1-3 and alarm bells would be ringing. James Harden hasn’t adjusted to the new rules in regards to drawing fouls and has turned from an MVP-calibre player to barely even an All Star. This has left Kevin Durant to burden the load, and while he has done an incredible job – averaging 31 points and nearly 10 boards and six assists a game while shooting over 55% from the field – he needs help more than ever.
I don’t think he will get that against this Miami team, which has shown they are happy to get in the trenches to pull out wins. Outside of a terrible offensive night that still saw them take the Pacers to overtime, the Heat have beaten the Bucks by 42 and Magic by 17. If they bring that sort of effort and intensity into tonight’s game, they should be able to pull off the upset.
What helps Miami is Jimmy Butler being at his best, which he was against Orlando on Monday. Butler finished with 36 points on 71.4% shooting, while recording five steals, to take his season tally to 9 steals from three games. He is the leader of the team and that sort of offense is a massive bonus, but he wins games for them on the other end, and he, along with P.J. Tucker and Markeiff Morris, will be hounding Kevin Durant all night long.
Tim’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat +4.5 (-110)
Denis Kirilov
This matchup promises to be one of the most entertaining for Wednesday night in the NBA. The Heat feels like a phoenix that has risen from the ashes as they enter into this game. The only team that managed to stop them in the opening games for this campaign was Indiana and they have done that with a well-executed defense. Tyler Herro is finally on 100% and he is ready to display a performance like the one from the Bubble in 2020. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and Markieff Morris are completing this team that through the years becomes more and more exciting to watch.
On the other hand, we have the Brooklyn Nets with Kevin Durant and James Harden at the moment. Kyrie Irving is out and players like Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge have been given a bit more rest in the previous games. The team is struggling and it also seems that they sometimes underestimate their opponents and tend to give away easy buckets. However, this will surely not be the case with the Miami Heat, but I still think that the team from Florida will have the last say in this game. Therefore, I will pick the Heat on a safer handicap of 7.5 points, since we all know what might happen if KD plays on an elite level.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Alternative Spread – Miami Heat +7.5 (-164)
Michael Lantz
A potential playoff matchup hits Barclays Center on Wednesday night, as a hungry Miami Heat team comes into Brooklyn to face a Nets Squad that’s been a bit unpredictable through four games.
Brooklyn got absolutely dogged against the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets, but won a tough game in Philadelphia and two nights ago, comfortably beat a Washington Wizards squad with playoff potential. So far Kevin Durant has been brilliant and Patty Mills has been the spark plug off the bench that’s so vital with Kyrie Irving out. On the other hand, James Harden has looked off and Joe Harris has looked like a liability on both sides of the ball. The Nets need those guys to step up stat; against a tough Heat team would be a good time to start. Meanwhile, Miami beat the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks by 40+ to start the season before losing to Indiana (Kyle Lowery was out) and then they blew out the lowly Orlando Magic. Miami might just have too much firepower for a Brooklyn team that still seems to be getting their rotations down. Plus the Heat now have one of the few men that can get under Kevin Durant’s skin: P.J. Tucker. It should be a good one, but I think Miami takes the first meeting against the Nets this season.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (+152)
Noah Dunlap
To me, this one comes down to whether or not the Miami Heat show up defensively. They’ve looked like one of the best teams in basketball so far this season, with a 42-point drubbing of the Milwaukee Bucks, and a double-digit victory over Orlando sandwiched around a decent loss to the Indiana Pacers. With Jimmy Butler playing great basketball, and Tyler Herro looking more like what we saw from him in his rookie campaign, along with a solid defender in Bam Adebayo, I do like Miami in this one.
Add in the fact that Brooklyn is still without Kyrie due to personal reasons, and a roster that is beaten and bruised and just not playing very well in general, and I look for the Heat to continue their hot streak to start the year. If you’re willing, look to get a little greedy in this one, and sneak away with a FanDuel Same Game Parlay of Miami outright, and the under, as I’m expecting a lower scoring affair than we’re used to in today’s NBA.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Same Game Parlay – Miami Heat Win / Under 217.5 (+367)
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Milwaukee Bucks – 8pm EDT
Two of the league’s best big men face off as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks host Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight. This will be Minnesota’s first road game for the season, while the Bucks will enjoy returning home after travelling for three straight.
Tim Newton
While the Timberwolves’ 2-1 record looks impressive, they have beaten Houston and then split a home back-to-back against the Pelicans, who were previously winless. That isn’t the sort of form that you want to be taking into a matchup with the defending champs, who while not looking 100%, still look like the team to beat.
The one worry is that Jrue Holiday has already been ruled out for this clash, along with Brook Lopez who hasn’t been seen since opening night, but they have still been good enough to win three of their four games. Khris Middleton has scored 28 and 27 points in his last two games, while Giannis was one assist short of a 30-point triple-double against the Pacers on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are still figuring out who to play Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards together, especially on offense. In Monday’s home loss to New Orleans, Towns had 32 points and 14 boards while Edwards had 28 and nine, but Russell finished with just nine points on 3/14 shooting, including going just 1/8 from deep.
That trio is clearly a very talented one, and will be near impossible to stop once they figure out how to play with each other, but that time hasn’t come yet. They are now on the road, against an extremely good side, and I don’t think they will get close.
Tim’s NBA Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -7.5 (-110)
Denis Kirilov
The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Milwaukee to face the current NBA Champions. However, the Bucks are still in a post-title mood and are far away from their best level of play. Giannis Antetokounmpo tries to carry his team on his own, but he will definitely need some help from Khris Middleton. However, some key players like Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday, and Bobby Portis are still missing for Mike Budenholzer’s side. Although the Bucks showed that they can deal with the other teams without half of their main roster, this will certainly take its toll on the team.
The Timberwolves, on the other hand, are a mediocre team with mixed periods of ups and downs. Karl-Anthony Towns has a contract until 2023 and they have less than 2 years to find a way to build a team around him, if they want him to stay. Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell seem like good starting options for this to happen. Malik Beasley can also work on its physical attributes to be of help to the team. With many players missing on the side of the Milwaukee Bucks and many players out of form in Minnesota’s roster, I would go with the “under” pick for this game.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Under TBA (TBA)
“That was ridiculous…everything about that shot made it difficult.” pic.twitter.com/yfRw6HeXtG
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 26, 2021
Michael Lantz
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of young talent that’s fun to watch. It seems Anthony Edwards is already making a massive leap in his second season and they continue to get massive statlines from Karl Anthony-Towns. But fun doesn’t always equal success. Minnesota got shot off the floor on Monday night by a New Orleans Pelicans team that’s without Zion Williamson. If Pelicans big man Jonas Valanciunas bullied KAT and company downlow for a 22 point/23 rebound game, just wait for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks started off the season with a big win against the rival Brooklyn Nets—only to lose by 42 to another rival team in the Miami Heat. They got back on track with back-to-back wins but have been hit with the injury bug along the way. Against Minnesota, Milwaukee will be without guard Jrue Holiday and big man Brook Lopez—two key players in their starting lineup. Still, while Minnesota continues to work on playing as a more cohesive unit, the Bucks love to play with a “next man up” attitude. They’ve seen guys like Grayson Allen and Jordan Nwora help out early on as multiple injuries have hit. I expect them to continue with that hard play against this Minnesota squad that’s still figuring it out.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -7.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
Look for this one to be a defensive battle down low, as two of the league’s best centers collide, with Giannis set to go head up against Karl-AnthonyTowns. The other concern is that the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks have looked shaky this season, and with Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis already being declared out for this one, what kind of effort are we getting from the Bucks? I’m just not convinced they come out with the energy needed to face off against a scrappy, somewhat underrated Timberwolves squad.
With Minnesota, they’ve looked better than many expected, but it has come against below average competition. KAT has looked like a monster, and Anthony Edwards has come up strong so far in his second year. With these two, along with Patrick Beverly and D’Angelo Russell, I actually like Minnesota to pull off the upset. However, to avoid just going all out with the ‘Wolves outright, take them to keep it close, much closer than the 7.5 the Bucks are favored by, and take a somewhat diminished win.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves +7.5 (-110)
Sacramento Kings @ Phoenix Suns – 10pm EDT
Both the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns have had extremely tough schedules to date, with both sides playing all three of their games against teams that made the postseason last year. They both sit at 1-2 from their three games, with neither side wanting to face a 1-3 start to the season.
Tim Newton
I don’t know what to make of the defending Western Conference Champs’ start to the season, beating the Lakers by 10 but surrounding that with double-digit losses to Denver and Portland. Meanwhile, the Kings opened their season with a tough win over Portland but then dropped to Utah and Golden State over their last two. So the fact that Sacramento beat Portland and then Portland thumped Phoenix means the Kings win this, right?
Devin Booker hasn’t been scoring to his normal levels, averaging 18.3 points per game with a max of 22, while Chris Paul scored 23 against the Lakers but has combined for just 19 points in their two losses. Clearly Phoenix are a very good side, but there does seem to be a case of NBA Finals hangover, especially considering that they didn’t win.
Meanwhile, the Kings have been relying on Harrison Barnes to be the main man on offense, with the 29-year-old forward averaging 28.3 points through their first three games. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been quite as prolific, only managing 12 and 17 points in their two losses, but does have 11 assists and five steals across those two games. He does come up against Paul in this matchup though, who is a savvy defender and could keep him in check.
While the Kings seem to have played better basketball than Phoenix, I do expect the Suns to come out with a point to prove. They played dreadfully against Portland and now return home in an extremely early must-win game. However, I don’t think they should be giving the Kings 8 points in the spread. Phoenix straight up is the safe play, but there isn’t any value in that so I will add it to a FanDuel Same Game Parlay with De’Aaron Fox under his points line.
Tim’s NBA Pick: Same Game Parlay – Phoenix Suns Win / De’Aaron Fox u23.5 points (+125)
Denis Kirilov
The Sacramento Kings are going to Arizona in an attempt to stop their losing streak which began against the Jazz, losing by 9 and continued with another loss at home against the Golden State Warriors, losing by 12. De’Aaron Fox was the main reason they lost to Utah as he was 5-19 for 26% from the floor. In the next match, Buddy Hield didn’t have a night and put in just 2 buckets out of 11 attempts. However, their team seems to have great potential and quite possibly a bright future.
The runners-up from the last season in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns, are also entering the season into a lower gear. They lost 2 out of their 3 games so far and we saw nothing spectacular from the great team that was rushing through the Playoffs. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges, and DeAndre Ayton are yet to put on a show. However, I think this won’t be the night for them, as the Kings have Harrison Barnes who is on fire at the moment. That’s why I will suggest picking the spread for the Sacramento Kings.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Sacramento Kings +8 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Sacramento vs Phoenix features two point guards that are thrilling to watch for separate reasons. De’Aaron Fox is considered the league’s fastest player as his speed, scoring and passing ability have made him one of the NBA’s great young talents. The other point guard is a man that controls the game pace like no other: Chris Paul. The future hall of famer continues to impress and even though it’s only been three games, he’s already averaging nearly 12 assists per game.
Still, both teams currently sit at 1-2. Phoenix had a great win against the Lakers, but were blanked in their season opener against the Denver Nuggets and obliterated by 29 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Maybe the Suns are still hurting from blowing a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals last year. Sacramento started the season with a clutch win against the Portland Trail Blazers, but followed that with losses to the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors. If Sacramento wants to prove their squad is playoff-worthy they need to consistently beat good opponents. A win in Phoenix would be a nice start and with the Suns missing a key piece in Cam Payne, this might be a great opportunity. I’m going to at least pick the Kings to cover and I think Buddy Hield will get over 3.5 threes. He struggled to score last game against Golden State, but had over 3.5 in his first two games and will be looking to make up for his poor shooting on Sunday.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Same Game Parlay – Sacramento Kings +8 / Buddy Hield o3.5 Made Threes (+275)
Noah Dunlap
Both of these teams have been somewhat disappointing, albeit against extremely tough schedules for each squad respectively. The difference is that Phoenix had much higher expectations coming into this season. After making the NBA Finals last season, many were looking for them to repeat as Western Conference Champions, and currently they simply look nowhere close. With a win over the Lakers split between a loss to the same Denver team that they swept in the WCF last season and an embarrassing loss to Portland, they have shown me nothing to suggest that they’re ready to match last season’s success.
With Sacramento, I still have doubts due to the youth on the roster. They have potential, and they’ve shown that at plenty of moments throughout the past year and a half, but I still don’t buy into them being ready for primetime, especially against a team that, while they haven’t played like it, has deep postseason success. Due to this, I like Phoenix to come out and get the win, but not enough to cover the spread, which just seems way too high for this one. Take the Kings to get a sneaky backdoor cover, with the margin coming in somewhere around 5.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Sacramento Kings +8 (-110)
Memphis Grizzlies @ Portland Trail Blazers – 10pm EDT
Two exciting teams led by two exciting point guards face off as Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers host the NBA’s leading scorer through the first week of action, Ja Morant, and his Memphis Grizzlies. Both sides seem to be in the bunch of teams that will be fighting for Playoff spots at the end of the season, meaning an early win would be a massive boost for their standings and their confidence.
Tim Newton
I really like what Morant and the Grizzlies are bringing to the table so far this season. A win over the Cavs isn’t much to write home about, although they did beat Denver two nights ago, and then the Grizzlies beat the Clippers before just missing against the Lakers. That is much better form than Portland, who lost to the Kings, smashed the Suns and were then blown out by the Clippers two nights ago.
Damian Lillard is yet to find his stroke, failing to score over 20 points through three games, while shooting 36% from the field and just 8% (2-24) from deep. Thankfully for Portland, CJ McCollum is averaging 27.3 points this season, or else they could be in a much worse position than they are now.
Meanwhile, Memphis are unlucky not to be 3-0, and have been playing exceptionally well on both ends of the floor, but particularly on offense. All five of their starters are averaging 13 or more points per game, with Ja Morant leading the way with 35 per night. They seem to have figured it out right now and have a good mix of youth and seasoned veterans that have them firing on all cylinders.
Clearly, by the way that I have spoken, I prefer what Memphis has done so far this season and despite them being underdogs for this clash, I believe they come out on top.
Tim’s NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (+116)
Denis Kirilov
The Portland Trail Blazers will be looking to get back on the winning track as they face the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Wednesday night. Damian Lillard has been underperforming since the start of the campaign and this one feels like a great opportunity for him to unleash his power. CJ McCollum had three good games so far, as he is the main player for the Blazers at the moment. However, his efforts weren’t enough and Portland lost to the Sacramento Kings and to the Los Angeles Clippers. Their 29-point win against the Suns remains the only positive aspect so far.
The Grizzlies started off the season with two nice wins against the Cavaliers and the Clippers. However, luck wasn’t on their side in their next game against the Lakers, as several clutch shots by Carmelo Anthony went through. In these three matches, one thing caught the attention of the spectators – Ja Morant’s performance. He put in 37 points against the Cavaliers, 28 points against the Clippers, and 40 points against the Lakers. He is averaging 35 points and 8 assists per game while shooting 58% from the floor. His performance so far is out of this world. That’s precisely why I will go with the Grizzlies against the Blazers.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (+116)
Ja Morant this season:
37 Points – 6 Assists – 58% FG
28 Points – 8 Assists – 52% FG
40 Points – 10 Assists – 62% FGTaking another leap. 😤🔥 pic.twitter.com/TNPZpikFIz
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 25, 2021
Michael Lantz
The Memphis Grizzlies have looked like they’re forming into an offensive juggernaut. They’ve scored 118 points or more in all three games, only losing one, to the Lakers, 121-118. Ja Morant is transitioning from a future all-star into a legitimate all-NBA talent as he’s started off averaging 35 points/8 assists per game early on. On Wednesday night, Memphis continues to climb up the west coast (after two games in L.A.) to face the Portland Trail Blazers.
So far Portland hasn’t been up to par. After a tough loss to start off the season against the Sacramento Kings, they got their groove back by beating the Phoenix Suns by nearly 30. Unfortunately, they followed that with an absolute stinker against the L.A. Clippers. A big reason for that: Dame Lillard. So far it’s been anything but “Dame Time”—Lillard is averaging 17 points, shooting 36% from the field, and, get ready for this, shooting 8.3% from three. Dame has had tough starts in the past, so nobody expects this to continue, but with CJ McCollum playing lights out and young players like Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little contributing, if Dame starts playing like a top 75 player of all-time, this team can hang with the best in the ultra competitive west. Unfortunately, I think the Grizzlies are just too locked in right now and with a few days rest, they will be ready for a struggling Blazers team.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (+116)
Noah Dunlap
The Grizz are winning this one. With a high-powered offense, led by certain all-star Ja Morant, who had 40 and 15 in the loss Sunday to the LA Lakers, and Steven Adams and Jaren Jackson taking care of business down low, Memphis is set to score a lot, as in 125 or more, in this one. Not only is this due to the fact that their offense has looked extremely good so far this year, but also due to the fact that Portland’s defense has been far worse than embarrassing. They’ve been absolutely atrocious. Abysmal, if you will.
The one concern I have with this matchup is that the Grizzlies defense isn’t actually all that much better. The offense has been stellar, but the defense has been just as stellar, for opposing offenses. With shot makers like Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum looking at this one as a chance to put up big numbers, I think that’s exactly what Portland will do, as well. With all that in mind, and with Memphis being a 2.5 point dog in this one, look for a FanDuel Same Game Parlay, taking the Grizz at +2.5 and the over, even though it is sitting high at 234.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Same Game Parlay – Memphis Grizzlies +2.5/Over 234 (+225)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
