SALT LAKE CITY - He, like his team, appeared spent. Michael Jordan's lungs and jump shot were gasping for air in the fourth quarter while the Bulls seemed destined for the great unknown of a Game 7.

But in a matter of seconds, 37 incredible ticks of the clock, Jordan reaffirmed his place as the most remarkable athlete of his time and the Chicago Bulls proved yet again why they are the best basketball team in the world.

Jordan was simply Jordan, scoring 45 points, including the final four of the night and the game-winning jumper with 5.2 seconds left after stealing the ball from Karl Malone as the Bulls stunned the Utah Jazz, 87-86, to capture their sixth NBA title in eight years.

"I didn't think you could top his Game 5 performance from last year," Phil Jackson said. "But he topped it. It's the best performance I've seen in a critical situation and a critical game in the series. I don't know if anybody could write a scenario quite as dramatic as that."

If this was Jordan's last hurrah, he gave his public a game for the ages and a thrilling last-minute sequence that ranks right up there with the greatest moments in NBA Finals history.

"Once you get in the moment you know you're there," he said. "Things start to move slowly. You start to see the court very well. You start reading what the defense is trying to do. And I saw that. I saw that moment. I never doubted myself."

Jordan, named Finals MVP for the sixth time, took charge of the game after John Stockton's three-pointer gave the Jazz an 84-81 lead with 41.9 seconds left. It started with Jordan driving past Bryon Russell for a layup with 37 seconds left. He then regained possession by stripping the ball from the unsuspecting Malone in the post with 18.9 seconds to go.

Rather then call time, Jordan calmly dribbled over midcourt and drained the clincher over Russell from 17 feet out. The shot was almost exactly like the one he hit in Game 1 of last year's finals that beat Utah.

Once again, Russell lunged for the ball, creating an open look. The release and result took the life right out of the Jazz.

"It was a very similar situation," Jordan said. "The play before, Karl never saw me coming (from the weak side) and I was able to knock the ball away. When I got the ball I didn't want the defense to have an opportunity to set up. It was a do-or-die situation.