The Minnesota Timberwolves certainly have championship ambitions. When you make back-to-back conference finals and your best player in Anthony Edwards, only 24 years old is the end goal.
Many see the most important competition of Minnesota in the West as the Thunder, Nuggets and Rockets. Stephen A. Smith went a different route and said the Mavericks will win the NBA championship (with a reservation).
Stephen A. Smith proclaims that Mavericks will win it all
During ESPN Take First Take, Smith had his Stephen’s A-List segment where he called his top 5 NBA players to view this year. Stephen A. had two Mavericks there with Anthony Davis who first came in and Kyrie Irving in the fifth.
During the segment, Smith stated that the Mavericks will win the championship, although with a reservation. He stated that they would do that if Davis is on his A game (where no injury is) and Irving stays healthy (as soon as he returns).
.@Stephenasmith Shares his list of top five players to view this NBA season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/A7EY2SIG33
– First take (@firsttake) August 22, 2025
It was at the beginning of March when Irving tore his ACL. Now that injury will keep the 33-year-old offside for a large part of next season. However, until he returns, Dallas did well to add D’Angelo Russell to start in the meantime.
Whether Davis can remain healthy, a large part of his career has been a question. In his very first game with the MAVs after being taken over by them last season, he sustained a left adductor tribe. The injury brought him offside for a month and a half.
Still, what a story it would be if Dallas won all year round after they had traded Luka Dončić. They were lucky to get the first general choice in a year in which there was a clear top perspective in Cooper Flagg. It would be the ultimate redemption story for Nico Harrison after the amount of hatred and contempt he received after the deal.
Timberwolves have better opportunities to take the title home
It was the 2024 Western Conference Finals where the Timberwolves squares against the Mavericks. While Dallas won in five, it was of course when they still roasted Dončić.
According to Draftings Sportsbook, the Mavericks only have the 11th best chances to win it all at +3000. The Timberwolves have the sixth best on +1300. Believing that Davis and Irving can remain healthy may not be realistic. There is a reason why Minnesota has considerably better opportunities.
While the Mavericks it would all be a great story, the Timberwolves would win their first championship. It would also give the state of Minnesota their first title since 1991 between their most important professional sports teams for men in the twins, Wild, Vikings and Timberwolves.
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