Tim Bontemps Apr 3, 2026, 07:00 AM ET Close Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what's impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast. Since Feb. 1, the San Antonio Spurs have won 27 of 29 games to force their way into the mix for the NBA's best record. As a result, 22-year-old phenom Victor Wembanyama has forced his way to the top of the NBA's Most Valuable Player discussion, with a chance to become the first player to win the award as early as his third season since Derrick Rose did so 15 years ago. But will the Spurs' 7-foot-4 big man actually challenge Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , who can become the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVPs and the 16th to win it at least twice?…