Bulls Subdue Sonics

The talk of destiny, of the Chicago Bulls being one of the great teams in NBA history, was left in the dust of their two unexpected defeats in Seattle.

So, Sunday night, as the Bulls won their fourth NBA title in six years, it seemed to matter less that they had not swept the SuperSonics but that they had survived.

After the 87-75 victory in Game 6, there were smiles from the weary Bulls as they accepted the trophy. But the smiles were the knowing kind, smiled by veterans who have come through an experience that was in equal parts exhilarating and harrowing.

The Bulls rode a suffocating defense to the win. They capped their season at 87-13, with 15 victories coming in a once-brilliant playoff run that had turned frightening after Seattle’s two straight victories.

But in winning twice when they could have been swept, the Sonics, who won a franchise-best 64 games this season, salvaged not only a measure of pride but also marked themselves as true contenders for the NBA throne.