(My Sportsbook) - The Houston Rockets hope to seize control of their Western Conference quarterfinals series with the Portland Trail Blazers tonight when the two teams hookup for Game 4 at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets took a 2-1 lead in the set on Friday when Aaron Brooks sank four free throws in the final 20.4 seconds and got a key offensive rebound at the conclusion, helping Houston to an 86-83 win over Portland.

Brooks had just 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting for the Rockets in the game but was good enough when it counted.

Luis Scola added 19 points and nine rebounds for Houston, which also received 16 points from defensive specialist Shane Battier. Yao Ming was limited to seven points, but also had 13 boards and three blocks for the Rockets, who nearly wasted a 17-point first-half lead.

It was a much different result than Tuesday when Portland won 107-103.

"We defended a lot better tonight," said Rockets coach Rick Adelman. "If we defend the way we're capable of defending and played as hard as we played we can win the game. As long as guys step up, and we had guys that did step up. That's what you have to have."

Brandon Roy scored 19 before fouling out in the final minute for Portland. Steve Blake added 16 points and 10 assists, but missed a potential tying three-pointer with under 10 seconds left.

Rudy Fernandez totaled 17 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge scored 13 to go with eight rebounds and four blocks in defeat.

"I thought it felt kind of like helter-skelter out there," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said after Game 3. "There was really no rhythm, right from the start. It just seems like the team that established itself from the beginning of the game, has been the team that has won the game."

The Rockets, who are searching for their first playoff series win since 1997, a span of six straight first-round exits, are succeeding in the series despite the absence backup center Dikembe Mutombo.

Mutombo ruptured a quadriceps tendon in his left knee after getting tangled with Greg Oden in Game 2 of the series. The veteran, who won the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for outstanding service and dedication to the community on Thursday, was a defensive force off the bench in Game 1, tallying nine rebounds and blocking two shots.

Although Houston hasn't had much success in the postseason recently, the franchise has never lost to Portland in the playoffs, winning a pair of five- game series by 3-1 margins in both 1987 and 1994.

The Blazers last playoff experience was a tough seven-game series loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2003. Portland hasn't won a postseason set since besting Utah in the Western Conference semifinals in 2000.

The Rockets won both meetings between the two clubs in Houston during the regular season, including a 102-88 victory on April 5, Portland's only loss in its last 11 games before the playoffs. In fact, Houston has been a house of horrors for the Blazers. Portland has dropped 11 of its last 12 trips to Space City.

Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Portland.