Suns’ Barkley Polishes His Star by Hitting Shot to Win Series : NBA playoffs: His basket with 1.8 seconds to play gives Phoenix 102-100 victory over Spurs.

Charles Barkley needs no one to interpret the requirements of a basketball star.

“If you want to be great, you have to willing to take the big shot--anywhere and anytime,” he said. “I always expect to hit the big shot.”

Barkley was willing, and he hit the winning shot--a top-of-the-key jump shot over the outstretched arm of David Robinson with 1.8 seconds to play.

The result was a 102-100 victory for Phoenix on Thursday night that eliminated the San Antonio Spurs in six games and sent the Suns into the Western Conference finals.

“I got the shot I wanted,” said Barkley, who finished with 28 points and 21 rebounds. “Basically, it was a free throw.”

Barkley, who dominated Game 5 Tuesday night with 36 points, said he learned all about taking clutch shots from Andrew Toney when he played for the Philadelphia 76ers.

“It felt good the second it left my hand,” he said. “I knew it was in.”

Phoenix, having survived another hard series, faces the winner of the Seattle-Houston semifinal.

The Spurs tied the score, 100-100, with 11 seconds to play on two free throws by Robinson, who had been four for eight at the line until that time in the fourth quarter. But Barkley, played one on one by Robinson, hit the winner.

“I thought he was going to drive by me, and then he just took the shot,” said Robinson, replaying the moment over and over again. “I just wanted to make him take a tough shot. And he hit it.”

Phoenix was not home free. With 1.8 seconds left, the Spurs got the ball to Robinson, but Oliver Miller blocked his shot

“We wanted this victory,” Miller said. “We kept our heads up, stayed aggressive on defense and we finished them off at the end.”

For the Spurs, it’s the end of a roller-coaster season that saw the firing of coach Jerry Tarkanian, the hiring of John Lucas and San Antonio reaching the semifinals for the first time since Robinson’s rookie season.

“It was a tough way to lose, especially at home,” said Robinson, who had 22 points and 14 rebounds. “I feel like I hit a wall right now because I want to keep playing. But physically my body needs a rest.”

Lucas said the game boiled down to free throws and Barkley.

“They did a good job,” Lucas said. “If we had to do it again we’d let Charles take that 23-footer again.”

Sun Coach Paul Westphal said the winning shot went exactly as planned, except Barkley shot too soon.

“We didn’t want to leave any time on the clock,” Westphal said. “We wanted to make it or miss it at the buzzer so they wouldn’t have a chance to make it scary.”

The Spurs’ J.R. Reid, who scored 14 points, said his team had its chances. “I’m sorry someone had to lose the game,” he said. “But you can’t ask David Robinson for any better defense.”

Phoenix had the NBA’s best regular-season record (62-20), then beat the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, winning three in a row after losing two consecutive games at home to open the series.