Bulls fans, here's a news flash. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and company aren't out of the woods yet. This series is far from over.

Sure, no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit. But on the same hand, the chances are almost as slim that a team could lose Game 1 and still win the series. However, the Bulls look like a decent bet to beat those odds.

Tonight's Game 5 is as important a game for the Bulls as any this year, including Game 7 against Indiana. If the Bulls lose to Utah tonight, Chicago's in a bad position.

And here's my reasoning as to why Chicago could lose tonight and then go on to drop the series.

First, the Bulls have been known to let teams off the hook. Remember the Finals a couple years ago against Seattle. Chicago led 3-0 before handing the Supersonics two wins. Last year, Chicago led 2-0 before dropping the next two games to the Jazz. The Bulls led the Pacers 3-2 before Indiana knotted up the series.

And yes, all of those losses came on the road. But the Bulls aren't the most comfortable team at home. They've never quite had a love affair with the United Center. From day one when Jordan returned to the NBA after his minor-league baseball stint, he complained about the building. And in the second round this year, Charlotte beat the Bulls in the United Center.

If the Hornets did it, surely the Jazz can. Surely, Karl Malone, John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek can all step up for one game and give the Bulls a run for their money.

One more reason why the Bulls could lose Game 5. Chicago has reverted back to its old Jordan, Pippen-and-everyone-else days. This team's role players have begun to sink away. Yes, Dennis Rodman had a great game four, but who knows if he's going to show up on any given night. Same thing with Tony Kukoc. And with a 3-1 lead, those guys could very easily put on their disappearing acts.

The Bulls probably have as little depth as they've ever had in the '90s. If the Jazz can find a way to hold either Jordan or Pippen in check, it gets a lot easier. They don't have the reliable reserves of the past.

So, let's just suppose Utah does win Game 5. Then the Jazz have regained the home court advantage and the momentum of the series.

The Bulls have shown they can't win on the road. They lost three straight to Indiana in Market Square Arena and one in Utah before finally beating the Jazz in the Delta Center. It's possible that the fatigue that everyone talked about at the beginning of the series could begin to kick in.

So Game 6 goes back to Utah, setting up a stunning Game 7.

For all that's made about the Bulls being a great team in the clutch, they really haven't had many opportunities to play in deciding games. They've been too good in the past that nobody could take the Bulls to Game 7 or Game 5 in the first round. And everybody talks about how Jordan would never let the Bulls lose in a Game 7. But history says otherwise.

Jordan has only played in three deciding games during this eight-year run. He's just 2-1, including the Game 7 win over Indiana this year. Utah, on the other hand, has been through a mess of those games, including a Game 5 against Houston in the first round this year. Utah has learned how to win those games.

So Utah takes three in a row and pulls off one of the most stunning upsets and comebacks in NBA history. It could happen, couldn't it? [[In-content Ad]]