The big reason the Phoenix Suns survived another rough playoff series was the man with the big shot - Charles Barkley.
The best regular-season NBA team, the Suns made it to the Western Conference finals when Barkley put his basketball magic to work again Thursday night. He lifted the Suns to a 102-100 victory over the San Antonio Spurs with a game-winning, top-of-the-key jumper over the outstretched arm of David Robinson with 1.8 seconds to play."I always expect to hit the big shot," said Barkley, who scored 28 points and had 21 rebounds. "It felt good the second it left my hand. I knew it was in."
The Suns, taking the best-of-7 series 4-2, now face the winner of the Houston-Seattle series. Game 7 of that series will be Saturday at Seattle.
For San Antonio, it was a distressing finish to an up-and-down season of coaching changes, winning streaks followed by streaks of mediocrity, then a trip to the conference semifinals for the first time since Robinson's rookie year four seasons ago.
"It was a tough way to lose, especially at home. We are all really disappointed," Robinson said. "I feel like a train that hit a wall, but my body could use the rest. Mentally I'm ready to play on."
Robinson led the Spurs with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Sean Elliott added 19 points, and J.R. Reid had 14.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Spurs looked like they were about to force a seventh game in Phoenix.
San Antonio took an 86-76 lead to start the quarter on Elliott's 3-pointer. But Phoenix immediately rallied with 12 straight points.
Then the stretch battle was on. The teams swapped leads four times before Phoenix went ahead 96-94 on two free throws by Kevin Johnson with 3:18 remaining.
"I thought we had the game under control," Elliott said. "The whole key was they played a consistent ball game. They stayed closed until the end, until they got their break."
Trailing by four, the Spurs closed to 99-98 after a 3-pointer by Dale Ellis with 14 seconds remaining. Danny Ainge hit one of two free throws. After a foul by Barkley with 11 seconds to play, Robinson tied the score by making two free throws, even though he'd been only 4 of 8 from the line in the fourth quarter.
But Barkley answered with his winning basket.
"I learned from Andrew Tony when I was on the 76ers that if you want to be great you have to be willing to take the big shot anywhere and anytime," Barkley said.
With 1.8 seconds remaining, San Antonio inbounded to Robinson. Oliver Miller blocked his shot.
"Our defense clicked in the fourth quarter," Miller said. "We wanted the victory. We kept our heads up, stayed aggressive on defense and finished them off at the end."
Spurs coach John Lucas said he wouldn't change strategy.
"Charles hit a heck of a shot to win it," Lucas said. "We had our best defender, David, on their best offensive player, and he just hit the shot."
Lucas said he was pleased with his first season as an NBA coach. "Overall, it was a good year for us."