LeBron, Heat to Battle Mavericks in NBA Final

The 'Decision' pays off for LeBron James, but he'll have to get through the Dallas Mavericks – and jeers from coast to coast – to get his ring.

With the LeBron James-led Miami Heat eliminating the upstart Chicago Bulls last night from the NBA playoffs, we're set for one of the more intriguing finals the league has had in recent years. James, along with Dwayne Wade and former Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh, have lived up to their pre-season billing as one of the best – and likely the most hated – teams in basketball, while the Dallas Mavericks, helmed by ageless veterans Dirk Nowitzki, 32, and Jason Kidd, 38, seek to win the franchise's first title. Nowitzki and Kidd have played a combined 29 seasons without a title between them. Miami's Joel Anthony, of Montreal, and Jamaal Magloire, of Toronto, are also seeking to join Rick Fox, Mike Smrek, and Bill Wennington as the only Canadians to have won NBA titles.