Pressed about whether the cheerful, no-worries mantra he's delivered last week reflects his true mind-set entering today's must-win Game 7 against Houston, Jackson hinted that even the Zen Master is not immune to stress.

"Has my sleep pattern changed?" he said Saturday. "Yes, it has. Your psyche gets involved as a coach, but that's why I meditate."

That was as close as anyone on the Lakers has come to acknowledging anxiety on the eve of an elimination game that arrived weeks earlier than anyone expected. A pair of lopsided road losses sandwiched around Tuesday's 40-point victory at home have landed the Lakers in their first Game 7 since squandering a 3-1 lead in the first round against Phoenix in 2006.

Win, and the Lakers can flush this series from their memory and press onward in their quest to avenge last year's NBA Finals loss to Boston. Lose, and a 65-win team that dominated the Western Conference will be remembered for its inability to escape the second round against a resilient yet severely depleted Houston team missing stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

"If you're going to be NBA champion, you've got to be able to respond to situations like this," Kobe Bryant said. "(I'm disappointed) that we didn't take care of business, but it's water under the bridge right now. There's nothing you can do about it. Nothing. You've just got to come out and play."

The burden of high expectations is squarely on the Lakers , but history suggests they have one significant advantage: Eighty percent of Game 7s in the NBA playoffs are won by the home team, and the Lakers are 12-1 in Game 7s at home.

"Playing at home, it's something you deserve and earned in terms of getting to this position," Pau Gasol said. "It will be pressure, but at the same time we're a good enough team to respond to that by playing hard, playing well and winning."

As much credit as Houston deserves, it's also a testament to the struggles of the Lakers that the undermanned Rockets are still breathing in this series.

Center Andrew Bynum, the supposed missing piece in LA's championship puzzle, has faded from the playoff spotlight and failed to score in three of his past five games.

Derek Fisher, celebrated for his past playoff heroics, has sunk just 1 of 14 threes this series and been exposed defensively by Houston point guard Aaron Brooks.

Typically steady Gasol hasn't consistently exploited his size advantage against the undersized Houston frontline, while a sore back has hindered Lamar Odom.

Even Bryant isn't without blame, despite averaging 29.7 points against the Rockets. Instead of attacking Houston's Shane Battier off the dribble to get to the rim, Bryant often has been content to hoist contested jumpers, contributing to his 42.7 percent shooting in the Lakers' three losses.

"We know it's an elimination game, but we're confident we're going to take care of business," Luke Walton said. "When you look at how talented our team is, your first thought is that the Lakers are going to be in the NBA Finals. It's not that easy. It's a hard fight."

Bryant suggested after LA's surprising Game 1 home loss to the Rockets that his team welcomes the challenge, bemoaning the "cakewalk" they had a year ago when they lost just three games before the Finals. He remains confident his team will be at its best tonight, yet admitted he's as curious as everyone else about which version of the Jekyll and Hyde Lakers will show up.

"That's the million-dollar question," Bryant said. "There's a bunch of other teams in the past that went through the same things for whatever reason. It's just the emotions of the NBA season, I guess."

Reach Jeff Eisenberg at 951-368-9357 or jeisenberg@PE.com