LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Los Angeles Lakers avoided elimination by beating Boston at their own game, a one-sided take no prisoners 89-67 win in game six that levelled the series at 3-3.

The task now for the defending champions is to repeat the feat in Thursday's deciding Game 7 at a sold-out Staples Centre arena.

“It's basketball and it's still a game and you have to go through the same execution things,” said Jackson who recorded his 224th career playoff win Tuesday to move past ice hockey icon Scotty Bowman for the most post-season wins for a coach in any of the four major American sports.

“You may be moving at a faster rate, you may be playing at a quicker elevation, spirit, et cetera. But if you're not going to be able to do the most basic things, if you come out of your skin things are going to happen awry,” he said. “They're not going to go right for you. So you have to stay in character. Even though it's not just a game, it's a different type of a game, but it's something that you have to be able to confront and hold your composure in.”

So the psychological edge may be with the Lakers, but the Celtics are the ones desperately hoping to find a resurgence in their game.

“You can never take for granted a season, a game, and especially a game seven of a finals,” said Rivers at the Celtics practice on Wednesday. “You never know if and when you're going to be back in that position. And so when you get in that position, you want to take advantage of it.

“I've always thought game seven is the ultimate player game. It's the game that all the things you've worked on all year, you have to do it and execute it and trust and play,” he added. “You know, there's going to come a time maybe where a timeout is important and an adjustment may be important. And Chuck Daly always said it's the make-miss game. It comes down to makes and misses. And on the misses make sure they don't get another opportunity to have a make, and that's what they come down to.”

Thursday's contest marks the 17th game seven in NBA finals history and just the second in the past 16 years.

It is also the fifth finals game seven between Boston and the Lakers with the Celtics having won the first four.

“Well, I mean, I just love the pressure truthfully, man,” said Celtics captain Paul Pierce a native of Los Angeles. “I love the fact that I get to play against the Los Angeles Lakers in a game seven on the road.”