Sonics’ Optimism On The Wane Karl & Co. Coming Up Short On Finals Options

The Seattle SuperSonics, so optimistic after clinching the Western Conference championship a week ago, are running out of options.

After two games against the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals, the Sonics have turned pessimistic after discovering:

They can’t outrebound Dennis Rodman.

They have no one to replace the sidelined Nate McMillan.

Their fastbreak led by Gary Payton can’t match Chicago’s fastbreak led by Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan.

And they can’t force the team that won a league-record 72 games into turning the ball over, like they did nearly every other opponent en route to a franchise-record 64 regular-season wins.

So what’s left when the Sonics, down 0-2 after a 92-88 loss in Chicago’s United Center Friday night, return to Seattle’s Key Arena Sunday?

“Hopefully, it’s a little more physical, maybe a little more faster,” Shawn Kemp said. “It’s going to have to get dirty in order for us to be successful out there.”

Chicago’s Luc Longley finished Game 2 with a bandage protecting a five-stitch cut above his left eye after taking an elbow from Kemp in the first half. But the Bulls didn’t blink.

The Sonics, 107-90 losers in Game 1, are finding that the Bulls they’re facing in June are a different team than the one they beat in Seattle 97-92 on Nov. 26.

In November, the Bulls were without Rodman, the league’s premier rebounder. In the first two games of the NBA Finals, the tattooed forward with the changing hair colors is tattooing the Sonics.

In Game 1, a Rodman flop upset Frank Brickowski so much that he got a second technical following a flagrant call. In Game 2, Rodman followed up that acting performance with a rebounding performance that dazzled the Sonics.

The Sonics may not like the player who would like $10 million from the Bulls next season, but they have to say nice things about him when he rebounds like he did Friday night. Rodman tied an NBA Finals record with 11 offensive boards, including seven in the third quarter and the biggest rebound of the game with 6.9 seconds left.

For the game, Rodman, winner of five consecutive rebounding titles, finished with 20 rebounds.

“He was the MVP of the game,” said coach George Karl, who was critical of Rodman’s flopping Wednesday night. “He’s an amazing rebounder.”