The lines have been drawn as the NBA Finals get set to tipoff Wednesday night.

It’s the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Miami Heat.

Good vs. Evil.

There probably hasn’t been a greater divide for an NBA Finals series since the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons were squaring off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.

Where you come down on which team is good and which is evil in this year’s series probably depends on where you hail from. Most of us from Cleveland are creating an uncomfortable allegiance with the Mavs for obvious reasons. Those unions of convenience haven’t exactly worked out with Boston and then Chicago, so we will see this time. But those of us who hate to see teams take shortcuts to success as the Heat did last season want to see Dirk Nowitzki get his first ring are also on board with the Mavs.

The absurdity of it all is that Mark Cuban, of all people, is being viewed as the good guy for once in his NBA ownership.

LeBron James is certainly the most likeable of the two, but the way he handled things last summer in leaving the Cavs for the Heat has forever cast him as the bad guy. Deservedly so.

But as we all know, evil can and does sometime win out. This could be one of those times. As well at Nowitzki has played this postseason, the Heat just looks better. Nowitzki is a tough matchup, but so are Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and James on the other side. There is an argument to be made that no one on the planet can guard James right now.

All the same, we will sit back and wish that good will win out.

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris

(Photo: AP Photo/Julio Cortez)