The trip itself was no surprise. Dennis Rodman goes to Las Vegas every chance he gets. This junket was a natural because Vegas is just across the state line and a few hundred miles south of Salt Lake City.

But it came in the middle of the NBA Finals, a series from which Rodman has all but disappeared.

Rodman believed it was necessary; therapeutic, even. And Bulls coach Phil Jackson, who gave Rodman permission to go after the Utah Jazz's 78-73 victory in Game 4 Sunday tied the series 2-2, hopes Rodman has cleared his head enough to be more effective when the best-of-seven series resumes Wednesday with Game 5 at the Delta Center.

"Dennis needs to dissipate energy sometimes," Jackson said Monday. "It builds up in him, and he has to get rid of it, whether it's on the dance floor or whatever. Sometimes Dennis plays a 40-minute game and then goes out and plays a 48-minute game afterward. He's got a perfect ability--I don't know what kind of biological clock he has in his system--to do that kind of thing and bounce back and feel better."

Rodman is averaging just seven rebounds in 27 minutes through four Finals games. He had six rebounds in 25 minutes in Game 4, sitting out part of the first half with an upset stomach.

But after the game, Rodman asked Jackson if he could join his pal, Billy Corgan of the rock group "Smashing Pumpkins," for a quick trip to Vegas. Jackson and General Manager Jerry Krause OK'd it, provided Rodman get back for Monday's media session at the Delta Center.

"Dennis needs to unwind," Krause said. "He needed to get away. Michael Jordan gets away on a golf course. Dennis doesn't golf. We all have to get away in our own way. He's over 21 years old, and he knows what his body can do. Plus, he's been living a pretty chaste life here in Salt Lake City."

Inasmuch as Jackson and Krause believed it was a good idea for Rodman to get his mind off of basketball, Rodman wasn't anticipating much of a fuss when he arrived at the Delta Center for the media session.

"I'm not married," Rodman said. "I don't have to entertain a family or anything like that. So we have two days off. So I wanted to get out of here and relax."

Did it work?

"I don't know," Rodman said. "I'm just in one of those funks right now. I've hit the wall and I don't know why. I'm not doing anything differently. But I'm a guy who needs to be free and have his own surroundings."

If Rodman's mini-vacation helps put some spark back into his game, his teammates won't have a problem with it. They know something is wrong.

Jackson believed he could energize Rodman by having him guard Utah's Karl Malone in Game 4, something Rodman hadn't done in the series. But it didn't seem to work--Rodman's defense on Malone was adequate, but his playing time was curtailed by the stomach woes.

Yet Rodman still went to Las Vegas.

Scottie Pippen, who criticized Rodman for lackluster play during the Atlanta series, questioned his priorities.

"We don't have any control over what Dennis does off the court," he said. "That's his preference, what he wants to do after the game. You would think he would want to evaluate what's going on with him, but as I said, that's his priority."

Jordan, who was criticized for playing 46 holes of golf the day before the Bulls dropped Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals in Miami, was diplomatic in dealing with Rodman's latest distraction.

"That's his way of getting away and coming back with a new attitude," Jordan said. "I hope that's the case. But he also has to realize that he'll bring back more focus and criticism if he doesn't play the type of basketball that everybody expects.

"Just as if I go out and play golf, I'm subjected to a lot of criticism if I don't come back and play the type of basketball I'm capable of playing."

Rodman blamed a lack of playing time for his latest troubles.

He played 33 minutes in Game 1 and pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds. Since then he hasn't played more than 25 minutes, nor had more than seven rebounds.

"I can't play 24 or 25 minutes and be effective," Rodman said. "That's not going to happen. I've got to play 35 or 40 minutes, and I'm not doing that. I don't understand what the deal is right now."

Jackson said he's trying to come up with the best possible matchups for what has turned into a close, competitive series.

"I guess it's a new strategy," Rodman said. "Phil Jackson is the coach, and he has been successful. I'm trying to go along with it."