NBA PLAYOFFS : Spurs Finally Deep-Six Lakers : Western Conference: Robinson, Elliott help San Antonio stave off home team and win series, 100-88, to gain finals for first time since 1983.

They did not go down without one last fight. But go down they did.

A Laker season that surpassed even the wildest dreams of most within the organization ended Thursday night, when San Antonio claimed a 100-88 victory before 17,505 at the Forum, giving the Spurs a 4-2 victory in the series and a berth in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1983.

San Antonio will have the home-court advantage while facing either Phoenix or Houston the next round. The Suns and Rockets play Game 7 on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix.

David Robinson led the Spurs with 31 points and 15 rebounds. Sean Elliott added 26 points. Elden Campbell had 21 for the Lakers.

The Lakers were competitive to the end, clawing their way back from a deficit that was 13 late in the third quarter with a big contribution from their bench in the fourth quarter, first George Lynch and then Eddie Jones. It was Jones’ three-pointer that cut the San Antonio lead to 84-82 and prompted a 20-second timeout.

The Spurs answered with an 8-2 rally for some breathing room--a 92-84 lead with 2:14 remaining. That was enough to dispatch the Lakers . . . finally.

The Spurs came in looking to make the best of a trip they didn’t want to take in the first place.

“All year long, mentally, we’ve handled success and failure,” Coach Bob Hill said before the game. “I don’t see at this point that anything has changed in that regard. If anything we’re more fueled to perform.

“It’s all how you look at things. It’s not a matter of ‘want to’--it’s part of our existence. You do what you have to do. If it’s Portland or Tacoma, then we’re not happy about going there. But it’s L.A. What’s wrong with coming to L.A.?”

For the Spurs, nothing. Not as long as you leave with a victory.

They quickly headed in that direction, taking a seven-point advantage with 2:18 left in the first quarter. Dennis Rodman, back in the starting lineup at power forward, had seven rebounds and six points in the period.

The lead reached 30-20 early in the second quarter. The Lakers responded from there, pulling within three, 47-44, at halftime as both teams struggled to find their shooting touch, a recurring theme in the series.

When Cedric Ceballos made consecutive three-pointers early in the third quarter, the Lakers were down, 53-52. When he converted a pair of free throws shortly after, with 7:11 to play, it was 57-57.

At 62-61, the Lakers had their first lead of the game. It held up for about a minute, to 64-63, at which time San Antonio went on a 10-0 run to regain control. In all, the Spurs had a 16-4 rally the final 3:57 of the quarter, good for a 79-68 cushion heading into the fourth.

Laker Notes

Eddie Jones, who went from being the No. 10 pick in the draft to the Lakers’ starting lineup, was named first-team all-rookie Thursday in a ballot of coaches. He had the fourth-most votes in the lineup chosen regardless of position, behind only the top three choices in the draft: Jason Kidd, Grant Hill and Glenn Robinson. Brian Grant completed the first team. Kidd was the only unanimous selection for the first team, meaning one coach thought there were five better rookies than Hill and Robinson, and another completely left Robinson off his 10-player ballot. The second team, which had six players because of a tie for the final spot, consisted of Juwan Howard, Eric Montross, Wesley Person, Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall and Sharone Wright. Clipper Lamond Murray missed the second team by one vote.