Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After two weeks of bad burgers, buzzer-beaters and brilliant basketball, the epic Western Conference finals will be decided in one game Sunday in front of the NBA's loudest fans.

To Phil Jackson, who knows more about playoff success than just about anyone, it's the only appropriate way for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings to cap the greatest chapter yet in their thriving rivalry.

"There's a certain thrill about (Game 7) that you don't find anywhere else in this game," the Los Angeles coach said Saturday.

The biggest game in Arco Arena's history matches the two-time defending champion Lakers against the Kings, who won the Pacific Division title with the NBA's best regular-season record. The winner will be heavily favored to beat Eastern Conference champion New Jersey in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.

The series has been a fascinating clash of styles, with the Kings' consummate team play and the Lakers' unrivaled star power essentially battling to a draw. Sacramento has outplayed Los Angeles for long stretches, but the Lakers' will and championship wiles have generated just as many victories.

"I know the fans are loving what they're seeing, and that's good for basketball — that's good for all these kids watching on TV like I used to," Sacramento's Chris Webber said.

"I think it's great for the sport. Our sport is showcasing its young talent and older talent. (The series has) some great gunslinging, Pepto-Bismol games for people to watch."

The series — the first all-California conference final in 29 years — became a Golden State classic when Robert Horry hit his game-winning 3-pointer in Game 4. It became one of the NBA's best recent playoff series when Mike Bibby's jumper won Game 5, and it only got better when Shaquille O'Neal played a career-defining game on Friday night to save the Lakers' season.

It also has been a contentious series, with everything from hotel room service food to the officiating open to critique. The Lakers complained that O'Neal wasn't getting the respect he deserved while Sacramento won three of four games midway through the series — and in Game 6, the Kings were whistled for a foul nearly every time they touched O'Neal.

The Lakers expect another huge game from O'Neal, who overcame the multitude of injuries that have plagued him all year to record 41 points and 17 rebounds in Game 6 while playing with the unique combination of grace and brute force that sets him apart from every other player.

"If you look at the history of the game, any player that has more than two championships, they've won them each a different way," O'Neal said. "We play well up in that building. We just have to go and play hard."