Sydney Kings superstar Kendric Davis won't deny he carries a chip on his shoulder into the NBL championship series.
Davis was furious when narrowly denied league MVP honours by rival guard Bryce Cotton last month, slamming the "rigged" voting process as a "popularity contest".
In a messy aftermath, the outspoken import turned his attention towards a greater prize, which would now come with a side-serve of revenge on Cotton and his Adelaide 36ers.
The best-of-five championship series tips off at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday night.
"Just win something that they can't vote on, that's how I look at it," Davis said on the eve of the playoffs.
"Just win a championship. That's all I want."
The simmering feud between American-born pair Davis and Cotton headlines what looms as a title fight for the ages.
Davis spent one season with Adelaide but left on a sour note, despite a three-year contract offer, while the Sixers replaced him with former Perth Wildcats star Cotton in a bombshell recruiting raid.
Davis joined Sydney and exchanged public barbs with Adelaide early in the season, before being booed on his return to South Australia as a Kings player.
"I'm the most misunderstood guy to ever come through the NBL," Davis said.
"I just want to be remembered as one of the greats and one of the best to ever do it."
Cotton, now a six-time league MVP winner, is already there and has reached another remarkable new level this season, averaging 26.2 points, 7.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
The 33-year-old has stepped up in the playoffs, steering the Sixers past South East Melbourne in their semi-final series while averaging 36.3 points per game.
Legendary coach Brian Goorjian, who masterminded the Kings' semi-final sweep of Perth, has a range of options to throw at Cotton, including Torrey Craig, Makuach Maluach and Jaylin Galloway.
But tough and tenacious veteran Matthew Dellavedova, battle-hardened through his NBA and NBL experiences, could be the defensive answer.
"He (Cotton) is an incredible basketball player and if you don't do something about that, you're not going to win the series,” Goorjian said.
"(Dellavedova) is a definite factor ... he did a phenomenal job in game two (against Perth) and was instrumental in that.
"So having him with you as far as executing your game plan offensively and defensively is huge, and he'll be a key part of it."
Sydney (24-9) and Adelaide (23-10) occupied top spot between them for most of the campaign, with the Kings emerging as regular-season champions.
They are chasing a first title in three years, while the Sixers are seeking to end a 24-year championship drought.
Sydney start as favourites by virtue of enjoying home-court advantage.
"The whole underdog concept is an opinion," Sixers import Zylan Cheatham said.
"We've been top of the table, they've been top of the table. I don't think there's really an underdog at this point.
"It's two of the top teams that have executed at the highest level that meet in the finals.
"We definitely don't think of ourselves as below any team in this league."
