Ranking the Wolves potential first-round opponents based on difficulty

2. Dallas Mavericks

Does any team want to see Luka Doncic in the first round? Seriously. The Mavericks have been playing excellent basketball in their last ten games, going 9-1. They also have a pretty light final ten games to close the season. If they get hot down this final stretch, they can cause a lot of problems for upper-echelon teams, such as the Denver Nuggets.

But that's just it? Doncic going bonkers for a series. Dallas also rosters Kyrie Irving, a player equally as capable of going off in any game. Watching both Doncic and Irving go off spells disaster. Defending creative, playmakers capable of getting any shot they want is no easy task.

Although the Wolves rank near the top of the league in most defensive statistical categories, slowing down Dallas' offense in round one will certainly be draining. The Mavs rank sixth in the NBA in points per game, third in 3-pointers, and turn the ball over the fourth-fewest in the association.

Granted, the Mavs are a relatively new team, having acquired Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington, to provide the roster with a jolt of size and athleticism. It has certainly made them a lankier team, but they aren't quite at the level of physicality that the Wolves can offer. The Slovenian star is what truly puts fear into any defender's heart.