The professional basketball world is officially on notice. The stage has been set, the contestants proven to be worthy, and the next generation of NBA Superstars stand poised to usher in the next great chapter in NBA history. Get your head right, get into the zone, and most importantly, don't ever back down. For the annual rite of passage into basketball lore, otherwise known as the NBA Finals, is upon us at last. Your standing in the ranks of basketball immortality is on the line. When it all comes down to the wire can you stick it out and be crowned with the title of World Champion?  Or will you cave and swiftly fade away into the void of basketball obscurity?

Having survived the long and grueling road through the NBA playoffs, only four more wins now separate you and your team from the privilege of hoisting Mr. O'Brien's cherished hardware high above your head in celebration. But it will be anything but easy. All eyes of the basketball world are focused squarely on you. Handling the pressure of being under such an enormous spotlight would be tough enough for just one game, but you may have to play seven. These strenuous conditions present during the yearly hunt for the game's ultimate prize have repeatedly borne witness to unheralded greatness on the hardwood, and on several occasions, exhibited the kind of stuff that legends are made of.   Will you measure up?

Who could ever possibly forget the eras of Chamberlain vs. Russell, Magic vs. Bird, and Jordan vs., ...well, nearly all the game's elite members. The Finals have taught us that remarkable things can and do follow holiday "Massacres", that "flu-like symptoms" don't always result in a bad day at the office, and that "Bad Boys" can sometimes do no wrong. We have been afforded the opportunity to admire the entertaining ingenuity of "Showtime", marvel the feats of the "Untoucha-Bulls", and enhance our vocabulary with priceless phrases such as, "Three-peat."

However, as unfortunate it may be, for every admired dynasty, storied rivalry, and epic comeback; there are plenty who have emerged victorious yet never had the chance to bask in the limelight for any extended period of time. How many people remember that the Seattle SuperSonics, the Washington Bullets (Wizards), the Portland Trailblazers, and the Golden State Warriors were all championship winning teams during the mid to late 70's? Who remembers a time when the Milwaukee Bucks were the greatest threat to a Lakers appearance in the Finals?

The cruel fact is that in order to capture the attention of many "basketball" fans, a team must be a large market team with a history of success. Basketball clubs without any major stand-outs and who choose to incorporate a subdued attack that champions defensive play and equal ball distribution, tend to result in more people feeling compelled to change the channel than to become glued to their TV sets. Many who ultimately decide to tune in, do so in hope of seeing what they deem "stellar basketball play".  Such individuals demand fast paced action, inflated points totals, and flashy play from the league's most noted superstars. It is a tragic reality that this basketball fan heartedly refuses to go along with, but must admit is causing people to become less energized when the NBA Finals roll around each year.

Fortunately this year, there is plenty for even the casual basketball fan to appreciate when it comes to this season's Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks finale. Neither basketball club has ever been to the Finals before, so there is plenty of energy in each of those two cities as their respective home teams take to the floor. It also helps that both cities are large market teams. Both teams are blessed with having one of the premier young talents in the league. Dallas, with two-time MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki, and Miami with a player who is arguably, "The Best Damn Guard" in all the league, Dwyane Wade. Dallas is the first Western Conference team that is not from Los Angeles or San Antonio to make it to the Finals since 1998. Meanwhile, Miami is trying to become the first Eastern Conference team not from Detroit, Boston, or Chicago to win a NBA championship since 1983.

Even for those who don't take kindly to the winds of change, there is the familiar Finals presence of legendary center Shaquille O'Neal, who presently seeks a fourth championship minus the tutelage of Phil Jackson and more notably, without the presence of Kobe Bryant. A successful hunt for O'Neal would prove to be the final accomplishment needed to further solidify his spot in history alongside the likes of Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the greatest big-men ever to play the game. Then there also is Miami's coach who is none other than the former championship winning coach from Lakers lore, Pat Riley.

The opportunity to see Wade continue his ascension this post-season past other notable guards, like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, should provide plenty of incentive for those who can appreciate some stellar guard play. Not to mention, those who would love for nothing more than to see what can happen when such talent is coupled with a nearly unstoppable and unrivaled presence in the post. On the other side fans can witness what happens when a seven footer with a killer outside shot, quick speed, and an immense rebounding capacity is surrounded with a team of extremely talented role players. It is the best of both worlds.

Despite the soon to be coinciding play of World Cup Soccer, plenty of additional folks in the Old Country are sure to tune in to see how the greatest European player in the history of the NBA fares against the likes of Flash and the Diesel. If those crazy soccer nuts in Europe can make the time to be sure they are tuned in to witness basketball's annual rite of passage into immortality, even casual basketball fans had better make sure to tune in.  This Finals has it all.  There are simply no more excuses. This is undeniably can't miss entertainment, even for fans who had previously grown tired of the game of basketball for the past couple of years.  Do not wait to be the one who has to read about this sure to be epic series in history books years down the road.  Witness the sheer brilliance of the NBA Finals as it transpires live before your eyes in all its splendor and glory, just as it should be.