Paxson 3-Pointer Finishes Off Suns : Game 6: Shot gives Bulls a one-point lead, and then Grant blocks Johnson’s shot to seal third consecutive title, 99-98.

The Chicago Bulls, with the clock running out, showed the guts and grace of a champion.

They beat the Phoenix Suns 99-98 Sunday night to win their third straight NBA title on John Paxson’s three-pointer with 3.9 seconds to play. Phoenix’s last chance at extending the NBA finals to a seventh game ended when Horace Grant blocked Kevin Johnson’s jumper from just beyond the foul line with a second to play.

Michael Jordan, who led the Bulls to the previous two titles, ran into the stands to retrieve the ball.

“This is a reward for all the hard work,” Jordan said.

The Bulls were clearly a team in trouble before setting up for their last shot, having scored but nine points in the quarter--all by Jordan--until Paxson’s wide-open 23-footer from the left side.

The play started with Jordan passing to Scottie Pippen, who threw the ball down low to Grant. Grant then kicked the ball out to Paxson at the three-point arc. With Phoenix playing back in anticipation of a closer shot, the 6-foot-2 guard hit nothing but net and gave the Bulls a finals record 10 three-pointers in the game.

Chicago joined the Minneapolis Lakers from 1952-54 and the Boston Celtics from 1959-66 as the only teams to win as many as three consecutive NBA titles.

Jordan scored 33 points for the Bulls and finished with the highest scoring average in finals history, 41.0, eclipsing Rick Barry’s 1967 standard of 40.8.

The Suns, who held Chicago without a field goal for the first 6:39 of the fourth quarter, led 98-94 before Jordan’s court-length drive for a layup closed the Bulls within two. Dan Majerle’s airball caused a 24-second violation, giving Chicago possession and setting up Paxson’s winner.

The Bulls are the most successful road team in the NBA finals. In winning three consecutive titles, they are are 8-1 in the championship series away from Chicago and just 4-4 at home.