Rockets vs. Spurs Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Friday, Oct. 23

A pair of Western Conference contenders face off on Friday night in primetime as the Houston Rockets and Kevin Durant take on Victor Wembanyama and the defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs.

These teams got off to very different starts in their season openers. The Spurs came up short at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, and Wembanyama did not have a good game, shooting 1-for-13 from the field. The Spurs' new-look starting lineup featuring Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle certainly has some room to grow, though they were positive when all three were on the floor.

Still, it is going to be a challenge for Mitch Johnson to mix and match lineups, especially against a bigger team like Houston.

The Rockets dominated on the offensive glass early in the 2025–26 season, and they're coming off a commanding win against the Dallas Mavericks in their own season opener on Wednesday. Kevin Durant and Fred VanVleet guided this Houston team to a 1-0 start, and the Rockets look like one of the teams that could contend along with the Thunder and the Spurs for the Western Conference crown.

Oddsmakers have set San Antonio as a favorite in this game, but can the Spurs bounce back?

They scored just 104 points in their season opener, now they're taking on a Houston team that has been a top-10 defense in multiple seasons under head coach Ime Udoka.

With Fred VanVleet back in the lineup for the Rockets, they looked a lot more organized on offense in their season opener.

Does that continue against a Spurs team that has the biggest defensive weapon in the league in Wembanyama?

Let's take a look at the latest odds, a player prop to bet, and my prediction as these two Western Conference contenders face off for the first time in the 2026–27 season.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Wemby had a monster showing defensively in Game 1 of the season, even though he didn’t shoot the ball well.

He blocked six shots against Oklahoma City and picked up a steal (seven steals and blocks for those counting at home). He’s averaged over three blocks per game in every one of his NBA seasons, and he’s taking on a Houston team that was 14th in opponent blocks per game and 25th in opponent steals per game last season.

Wemby had six and seven steals and blocks in his final two matchups with Houston during the 2025-26 season. He’s worth a look to continue his quest for a second straight Defensive Player of the Year on Friday.

Houston’s offense ran a lot smoother with VanVleet back in the lineup, and I don’t mind the Rockets at this price as underdogs on Friday.

San Antonio’s offense struggled to find a groove against the Thunder, and Ime Udoka has coached this Houston team to multiple top-10 finishes in defense.

The Spurs did win the regular-season series 3-1 last season, but if the offense is going to take some time to get going with all three guards starting, Houston is more than capable of hanging around on the road.

Durant (30 points in the opener) and Alperen Sengun are a formidable scoring duo, and the Rockets were one of the best teams in the NBA against the spread as road dogs (7-2) a season ago.

I’ll take them to cover on Friday night.

Pick: Rockets +6.5 (-115 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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