ONE MORE LEFT FOR BIG, BAD BULLS; JORDAN, PIPPEN AND RODMAN PUT STUMBLING JAZZ IN 3-1 SERIES HOLE : CHICAGO 86, UTAH 82.

Byline: Chris Sheridan Associated Press 

The champagne will be on ice, the tickets will be scalped for more than $1,000 apiece and the trophy will be in the house.

Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the Chicago Bulls might have just one more performance left - and it could be the night they win their sixth championship this decade.

``We're ending up in a great position and we're in control,'' Jordan said. ``Now it's up to us to finish the job.''

Chicago moved closer to yet another title Wednesday night as Jordan and Pippen scored almost 75 percent of their team's points, Rodman showed enough nerve to make two crucial free throws and the Bulls played another 48 minutes of suffocating defense.

It all added up to an 86-82 victory over the Utah Jazz in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, giving the Bulls a 3-1 lead and a chance to win the title on their home floor for the third straight year when the series resumes Friday night.

``We're just trying to get through one more game, that's pretty much it. Then I can stick (my uniform) in the trunk,'' Pippen said. ``We want it bad.''

Jordan finished with 34 points and Pippen had 28. Rodman, whose bad boy behavior took over the focus for two days after he blew off practice and left town to attend a pro wrestling match, grabbed 14 rebounds in his best game of the series.

``We're in the driver's seat now,'' said Jordan, who along with other star Bulls could be gone after this season. ``Basically, you're going to have to wait and see what happens. I look at the game as a must-win.''

``I understand Scottie wants to take his uniform off and put it in the trunk. I want to, too. They'll give out new ones next year - wherever and whenever.''

The Jazz was again hurt by the disappearance of Karl Malone in the fourth quarter. In his third poor game of the series, the Mailman didn't score in the fourth until nine seconds remained - way too late for the Jazz.

After showing some life when it looked like it was dead by coming back from a seven-point deficit and tying the game, the Jazz couldn't sustain the run and make enough big plays in the final three minutes.

As in Game 2, the Jazz allowed Chicago to grab nearly every important offensive rebound, including seven by Rodman and five by Pippen.

Jordan had two late spin moves on Shandon Anderson. The first gave the Bulls the lead for good; the second gave Chicago a three-point lead with 1:38 left.

Jordan shot an airball with 48 seconds left, but Malone was called for a loose ball foul when he got tangled with Rodman. The Worm calmly sank both shots, making it 81-77 with 43.8 seconds left, and Utah couldn't recover.

John Stockton drove for a reverse layup and missed, and the ball was batted around by four players until Ron Harper grabbed it. Toni Kukoc was fouled and made both shots with 26.6 second left, upping the lead to six.

That was pretty much the end for Utah, which now faces a nearly impossible task.

Only six teams in NBA history have come back from 3-1 deficits, although it has never happened in the finals.

And the Jazz will have to find a way to win on Chicago's home court, where the Bulls haven't lost in the finals since 1993.

``It's not a good situation to be in,'' Stockton said. ``We have one game to play, and if we win, it's a different situation. We go home for two games and anything can happen. One win can change the whole complexion of things.''

The Bulls, whose home winning streak reached seven games, have won their last 26 playoff series when they led after three games.

Other than Jordan and Pippen, no one else reached double figures for Chicago. Kukoc had eight points and Harper and Rodman had six each.

The Jazz, unable to run their offense smoothly because of Chicago's size and tenacity on defense, shot only 42 percent and also had just two players reach double figures.

Malone was Utah's leading scorer with 21 points, and Bryon Russell reached 10 by making a meaningless 3-pointer at the final buzzer.

Stockton shot 3 for 11 and Jeff Hornacek was 3 for 8.

``Tonight we had an opportunity and didn't take advantage of it. They did,'' Malone said.

The Jazz didn't reach 54 points - their infamous total from Sunday night's record-setting loss - until Howard Eisley made a free throw with 38.4 seconds left in the third.

Malone's pattern: good start, bad finish

CHICAGO - Maybe the Chicago Bulls can play a little pickup ball with Karl Malone before the tipoff of Game 5 on Friday night. That way, the Utah forward can get his early hot shooting streak out of the way before it hurts the Bulls.

Malone again was hot Wednesday night, scoring nine of the Jazz's first 11 points on his way to an 11-point first quarter. Malone is now 11 for 15 in his last two opening quarters.

Malone used most of his arsenal in the first quarter of Game 4. He hit a 15-foot jump shot, a baby hook and a layup. Malone didn't score in the second quarter, but he did come out strong again in the third quarter, scoring six of Utah's first eight points. But he didn't score in the fourth quarter until just nine seconds remained.

--- Daily News Wire Services

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) After Game 4 victory, Chicago's Michael Jordan might have just one game left with his old Bulls gang.

(2) Michael Jordan has no competition from Utah as he skies over three teammates to grab a rebound in the second half of Chicago's win.

Michael S. Green/Associated Press

BOX: GAME 4: A CLOSER LOOK