Bulls On Smooth Road to Championship

What’s the home-court advantage worth in the NBA finals?

Nothing if you’re playing the Bulls.

Sunday’s 108-86 victory over the SuperSonics gives them a 10-1 road record in their four appearances in the finals. In 1991, they won three games in the Forum. In 1992, they went 2-1 at Portland. In 1993, they went 3-0 at Phoenix.

In the same series, they’re only 6-4 at home.

“On the road, you have to have a certain focus,” Michael Jordan said. “You have to have a certain killer instinct. This team has done that all season. It hasn’t just happened here in the playoffs.

“Over the years, what we’ve done on the road is very astonishing. We’ve gone, what, 9-1, 10-1? So I think that tells you about the characteristics of this team and the players on this team, how serious we are when we step on the road. We know that we’re against all odds and I think we tend to focus on it.”

The Bulls were 33-8 on the road during the regular season, an .804 winning percentage. That was better than any team’s overall percentage.

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More proof it wasn’t the Sonics’ day: Bull Coach Phil Jackson found out moments before the game that starting guard Ron Harper had a sore knee and started Toni Kukoc.

The 6-11 Kukoc then scored seven points in the first quarter as the Bulls jumped out to a 22-point lead.

“I think it threw them off tremendously,” Scottie Pippen said. “We came out with a bigger lineup and the size was effective.”

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Frank Brickowski, ejected in two of the three games after skirmishes with Dennis Rodman:

“He made a fool of the referees as far as I’m concerned. He’s successful. He got over again tonight. You have to give him credit. He’s getting the calls and they’re winning. I’d be doing the same thing if I could get away with it.”

Said Gary Payton of Rodman: “He ain’t no distraction to me because he’s crazy, anyway.”

Rodman on meeting Brickowski in Game 4: “Maybe we’ll go out to dinner. Kiss and make up or something like that.”

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The SuperSonics took 60 shots, a record low for the finals. The previous low was 66, set three times.

In the series, the Sonics have scored 88, 90 and 86 points. They have turned the ball over 18, 16 and 21 times.

This is the first time all season the Sonics have lost three games in a row.