Jordan celebrates last year's championship

SALT LAKE CITY (CNN) -- While the Chicago Bulls would have loved to have clinched their sixth NBA title on Friday, basketball fans are probably relieved they didn't.

After all, the team's loss extended beloved Bull Michael Jordan's career by at least one more night.

Jordan has been uttering the dreaded "R" word again -- saying he may retire his jersey at the end of this season.

He said that once before, in 1993 -- after the Bulls won three straight NBA championships in a row.

Before 1991, the team had never even been in the finals.

The Bulls didn't go the finals in 1994 or 1995.

Maybe that's because Jordan was busy playing baseball.

He had signed a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox to pursue his dream of being a major league baseball player.

But he didn't get many hits. Lucky Bulls.

When Jordan crawled back into a Bulls uniform, the Bulls burst back to the top of their game -- proving, once again, that they were tough to beat.

Jordan regains his form after retiring

Unstoppable in 1996 and 1997, the team captured two more championships.

Can they do it again?

The Bulls may have a tough fight on their hands Sunday night at Delta Center, home of the Utah Jazz.

They go into Game 6 with a one-game lead. But the Jazz is 8-2 on its home floor in this post season.

But the Bulls have their very public weapon: Air Jordan. The league's Most Valuable Player during the NBA finals in every year Chicago has played in the finals.

And if the team loses Sunday, Jordan fans get another reprieve. His career, again, will be extended by at least one more game.

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