# 2026 NBA Odds and Picks

> Spurs back as NBA favorites with expert picks for Friday's games.
- Title: 2026 NBA Odds and Picks · CBS Sports | Shortify
- Summary: Spurs back as NBA favorites with expert picks for Friday's games. The SportsLine Projection Model backs the Spurs to cover as 5.5-point favorites against the…
- Keywords: nba, spurs, rockets, celtics, knicks, hawks, hornets, betting, odds, picks, player props, sports
- Source: CBS Sports — https://cbssports.com/betting/news/2026-nba-odds-picks-predictions-best-bets-player-props-experts-model-backing-spurs-more-friday
- Published: 2026-10-23T14:05:03+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nba, spurs, rockets, celtics, knicks, hawks, hornets, betting, odds, picks, player props, sports
## Friday NBA Games
Knicks vs. Celtics at 7 p.m. ET, Hawks vs. Hornets at 7 p.m. ET, and Rockets vs. Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET.
## SportsLine Model Backs Spurs
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned nearly $19,000 in profit for $100 players since 2018.
## Spurs -5.5 Pick
Spurs cover as 5.5-point favorites against the Rockets with odds of -110.

> Spurs -5.5 (-110)
## Karl-Anthony Towns Under 4.5 Assists
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks, Under 4.5 assists (-160).

> Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks, Under 4.5 assists (-160)
## Jalen Johnson Over 37.5 Points
Jalen Johnson, Hawks, Over 37.5 Total Points + Assists + Rebounds (-112).

> Jalen Johnson, Hawks, Over 37.5 Total Points + Assists + Rebounds (-112)
## Spurs Model Prediction
The Spurs are defending Western Conference champions with Victor Wembanyama expected to score 25 points per game.

> He was awful in the opener (1-for-13 shooting with 12 points), but the model expects a performance more like his averages of 25 points per game on 51.2% shooting last season
## Key takeaway

The SportsLine Projection Model backs the Spurs to cover as 5.5-point favorites against the Rockets in 2026 NBA odds.