Seattle Crowd Wasn’t All the Bulls Took Out Early

Sure, the Chicago Bulls took the crowd out of Game 3 early. . . .

But more important was that they took the Seattle SuperSonics out of the game early. . . .

If the Bulls win Wednesday, it will mark the first time two consecutive NBA finals have been swept. In case you’ve forgotten already, Houston put away Orlando in four last year. . . .

There were only five sweeps in the first 48 years of the championship series. . . .

Frank Brickowski’s behavior is making Dennis Rodman look normal. . . .

This series is flattering the New York Knicks, who defeated the Bulls once and almost twice in the playoffs. . . .

Something similar can be said about the Chicago Blackhawks, who extended the Colorado Avalanche into overtime four times during their six-game series. . . .

Enough with rats and rat traps. A delay-of- game penalty should be assessed to the home team any time such items are thrown onto the ice. . . .

Bobby Orr’s goal that gave the Boston Bruins the 1970 Stanley Cup title was spectacular, and highlight films still show him flying through the air after putting the puck into the net. . . .

But it shouldn’t have been voted the greatest NHL moment ever by writers and broadcasters. The Bruins swept that series over a St. Louis Blues’ team that was only in its third year of existence and had advanced to the finals by winning the all-expansion Western Division championship. . . .

The Bulls’ starting guards, Michael Jordan and Ron Harper, both are listed at 6-6, 198. . . .

Among the baseball power records in danger this season is that for doubles. Edgar Martinez has 32 during the Seattle Mariners’ first 61 games. The major league record is 67 by Earl Webb of the Boston Red Sox in 1931. . . .

The Dodgers have had their share of injuries and illnesses, but have less reason to use them as excuses, now that Wally Joyner of San Diego and Larry Walker of Colorado are out for extended periods. . . .

I love the way Raul Mondesi hustles on the base paths and in the outfield. . . .

Sunday, National League pitchers batted .250 and American League pitchers batted .500. . . .

Dodger broadcaster Rick Monday was the first player ever selected in major league baseball’s June draft, the Arizona State outfielder was picked by the Oakland Athletics in 1965. . . .

In the same draft, the Dodgers took John Wyatt, a shortstop from Bakersfield, with the eighth pick and the Angels selected Jim Spencer, a first baseman from Glen Burnie, Md., with the 11th pick. . . .

Wyatt, not to be confused with the former pitcher of the same name, never played a major league game. Spencer played with the Angels from 1968-73 and had a 15-year career. . . .

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Oscar De La Hoya ought to fight Pernell Whitaker pretty soon. A victory over Whitaker finally would establish De La Hoya as a hero in both the U.S. and Mexico. . . .

The only thing that can slow De La Hoya’s progress is the fast car he drives. . . .

Aaron Pryor’s career was good enough for him to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last week, but imagine how successful he would have been if not for his drug problems. . . .

Former USC and L.A. Ram star Marlin McKeever and Channel 4 traffic reporter Paul Johnson will be co-hosts of the 12th annual Ricky Bell Memorial Scholarship Fund Golf Classic on Friday at Brookside in Pasadena. For details, call tournament director Jack Lloyd at (818) 343-7243. . . .

Al Larson writes to say that hockey players after Stanley Cup series-deciding games aren’t the only athletes to line up and shake hands. So do volleyball players, after every match. . . .

TV’s longest running sports awards show, the Victor Awards, will be shown by Prime Sports on June 29 from the Las Vegas Hilton. Proceeds benefit the City of Hope and Beckman Research Institute. . . .

It will be interesting to see how the first John R. Wooden Classic without UCLA in the lineup draws at the Pond of Anaheim on Dec. 7. Matchups are Arizona-Utah and Louisville- Louisiana State. On the same day, UCLA will play the probable preseason No. 1 pick, Kansas, at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

Lisa Leslie, a star on the U.S. basketball team, is the best bet to continue USC’s streak of having at least one gold medalist in every Summer Olympics since 1912. . . .

If you like Northwestern’s football uniforms, you’ll love the Baltimore Ravens’.