Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has claimed that the Miami Heat are the "bad guys" of the NBA and that it is a good thing for the league.
The Heat have won the previous two NBA titles and will begin this season as favourites, but Cuban believes that every team will want to beat the franchise in the new campaign.
"With the two titles, they're still like the bad guys," Cuban told reporters. "There's a confidence bordering on arrogance that is good for them as a team and good for us as a league because it also makes them the team that everybody wants to knock off.
"That's always good for the NBA when you have a team that everybody looks forward to beating.
"Like when we beat them, I would go to places I've never been and people would give me a standing ovation. That's good for the NBA."
The Mavericks won their last NBA title in 2011.
