CHICAGO - Best team ever? Maybe, maybe not.

Most incredible season in NBA history? Probably.

From the October day Dennis Rodman arrived wearing red hair augmented by a black Chicago Bulls logo until Sunday night, when Michael Jordan was so overcome with emotion that he couldn't even celebrate his team's fourth NBA championship in six years, there has never been a season quite like this.

Eighty-seven wins, a record. Seventy-two in the regular season, another record. Thirteen losses in 7 1/2 months. Amazing.

''Who would have ever written this season?'' said Jordan, who cried while thinking about his murdered father even as the Bulls wrapped up Sunday night's 87-75 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

''It happened on Father's Day, which makes it even more special,'' Jordan said. ''There's no way you can really describe it.''

Rodman, now sporting a hieroglyphics hairdo and a T-shirt reading ''The Greatest Team Ever,'' tried to describe it.

''I think this was a fairy tale, like Goldilocks, like Snow White, you name it,'' he said. ''I'll be doing my crying tomorrow when I realize what really happened tonight.''

Later, in a locker room thick with the smell of cigar smoke and champagne, Ron Harper wedged himself into one of the 3-foot-wide dressing areas. He sat quietly, away from the maddening mass of players, team officials, minicams and hangers-on, a smoldering stogie between his smiling lips.

''Joy was in getting here,'' he said. ''Winning it, the feeling is very peaceful. Nobody can take this away. Ever. Ever. Ever.''

Ever, ever, ever ... will these Bulls be recognized as the best ever? They had a chance to claim that mythical title last week, but they weren't able to complete a sweep of Seattle that would have given them an unprecedented 15-1 playoff mark to go with their 72-10 regular season.

Scottie Pippen and Jordan are the only holdovers from Chicago's 1991, 1992 and 1993 championship clubs.

''To bring this team together in one season, to bring back Michael, to bring Dennis here, this is very special,'' Pippen said. ''We wanted to show the world that we were the greatest team. We have been dedicated all season to go out and win every game. Our team deserves a bow, a hats-off, because it is a heck of a job to win the number of games that we've won.''

Jordan didn't want to compare this title to those the Bulls won before, but he acknowledged, ''We have accomplished history.''

It took Jordan awhile to appreciate the historic aspect to the Bulls' accomplishment.

When the final horn sounded, he grabbed the basketball and hugged it as he dropped down to the United Center court.

He wasn't celebrating his team's fourth title. He wasn't celebrating his fourth NBA Finals MVP award. It was Father's Day, and he was thinking of James Jordan.

''I had to get out of the gym and be by myself,'' said Jordan, whose father was killed in 1993. ''I just had a lot to think about ... what was most important to me, which was my family, and my father not being here to see this. This was for dad.''

While Jordan was the obvious choice as series MVP, more valuable on the clinching night were Rodman, Harper and Pippen.

Rodman had 19 rebounds, 11 on the offensive end, and provided boundless energy. Harper, after barely playing the previous three games because of a sore knee that will require arthroscopic surgery, scored 10 points in 38 gutsy minutes and contained Sonics star Gary Payton. Pippen, terrible most of the series, had 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Rodman, acquired just before the season to provide rebounding even though he didn't fit the Bulls' conservative image, was a major factor all series.

''As you evaluate the series,'' Sonics coach George Karl said, ''I think Dennis Rodman is the reason they were successful.''

Not the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, whose 69 regular-season wins set the standard until these Bulls bettered it. Not the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers, who had a 12-1 postseason but not nearly as successful a regular season as these Bulls.

''The one thing about this championship is that we were expected to win,'' Chicago coach Phil Jackson said. ''Whenever you're expected to do something, the pressure is great.''

And so the debate continues.

Very good? Great? Best ever?

''Who cares?'' Kukoc said. ''We're still the champs.''