HOUSTON (AP) - Yao Ming would rather not think about how close the Houston Rockets are to finally escaping the first round of the playoffs.

Sunday's games

• Bulls 121, Celtics 118 (2OT) (Tied 2-2)
• Cavaliers 99, Pistons 78 (Cavs win 4-0)
• Magic 84, 76ers 81 (Tied 2-2)
• Rockets 89, Blazers 88 (Rockets 3-1)

Saturday's games

• Hornets 95, Nuggets 93 (Nuggets 2-1)
• Spurs 99, Mavericks 90 (Mavs 3-1)
• Heat 107, Hawks 78 (Heat 2-1)
• Lakers 108, Jazz 94 (Lakers 3-1)

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FOXSports.com analysis

• Playoff results, schedule
• 2009 NBA Playoff Central
• Rosen: Blazers need to adjust
• Hench: 5 stars for future Finals
• Rosen: Celtics play like champs

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Video

• Highlights: Bulls win 2OT thriller

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Photos

• Friday's action | Thursday

Houston led 87-85 when Ron Artest missed a baseline shot with 27 seconds left and Roy rebounded. Out of a timeout, Roy drove to the basket and was called for an offensive foul when he plowed into Chuck Hayes.

Houston coach Rick Adelman had inserted Hayes, a defensive specialist, only 13 seconds earlier.

"I just read him," said Hayes. "I went for it and I put myself outside the restricted area. It meant a lot. Coach needed me. Coach needed my defense."

Aaron Brooks made one free throw with 10 seconds left, but missed the second one. Travis Outlaw then missed a 3-pointer, Brooks sank another free throw and Rudy Fernandez hit a 3 with 2.3 seconds left.

The Blazers couldn't get another shot after Kyle Lowry missed two free throws with 1.2 seconds left and Portland lost at the Toyota Center for the 12th time in its last 13 games here.

The Rockets, meanwhile, have their first 3-1 series lead since they faced Seattle in the 1997 Western Conference semifinals. The SuperSonics took the next two games before Houston won Game 7.

"We put ourselves in a great position," Hayes said. "Now, we have to go out to Portland. They're going to be loud, they're going to be pumped. If we can go out there and get the series over with, so a couple of guys can get some rest, that would be great. If not, then we still have a chance to come back home and close it out."

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 19 points and Outlaw had 14 for the Blazers.

Yao went 7-for-14 from the field, his best game since he scored 24 in Game 1, a 108-81 Rockets victory.

Roy and Yao both shot well in the first half after both defenses keyed on them in Game 3. Roy scored 15 points and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, while Yao went 3-for-6 from the field and had 11 points.

Houston's offense went stagnant after Scola's layup put the Rockets up 58-51 with 6:43 left in the third quarter. Roy continued to draw Houston's defense with aggressive drives and either drew contact or found teammates for open shots.

"I tried to change my approach from Game 3," said Roy, who went 8-for-17 from the field and hit two 3-pointers. "I just tried to take what they gave me."

Aldridge scored six points and Steve Blake sank a 3-pointer during the Blazers' 19-6 run. Roy scored 10 in the third quarter, going 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

The Blazers had a perfect night from the free-throw line in a playoff game for the first time since June 14, 1992, when they set an NBA finals record by going 21-for-21 in a Game 6 loss to Chicago.

The Rockets missed their last seven shots of the third quarter to fall behind, but Yao dunked and Von Wafer sank a 3-pointer to get Houston going again.

Notes

Portland, in the postseason for the first time since 2003, has lost 10 of their last 11 road playoff games. ... The Rockets are 34-4 this season when Yao scores at least 20 points. ... The Rockets grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter to generate 13 second-chance points.