TONIGHT’S SERIES PREVIEW

1. CHICAGO BULLS vs. 4. ATLANTA HAWKS

* Season series: Bulls, 3-1.

As shaky as they looked in their three-game sweep of the Washington Bullets, the Bulls took care of business in the minimum time and earned what an old, wounded team needs most--rest. By tonight’s start of this series, they will have been off six days.

Nor is the draw bad, sending them against a Hawk team that had to go a hard five games--and come from eight points behind in the fourth quarter in Game 5--to defeat the Detroit Pistons.

Hawk Coach Lenny Wilkens got 30 points from his bench all series. His streaky point guard, Mookie Blaylock, shot 23 for 70. Christian Laettner averaged 19 points but railed about press demands. Wait until he sees the zoo at Chicago games.

The Bulls’ success is built on their defense and Coach Phil Jackson is admired by peers for his game plans that take away opponents’ first and second options. The Hawks don’t have much more than one or two.

* Prediction: Bulls, 4-2. If Blaylock doesn’t warm up, it won’t be that close.