(My Sportsbook) - The reeling Portland Trail Blazers hope to stave off elimination tonight when they resume their Western Conference quarterfinals series against the Houston Rockets at the Rose Garden.

The Rockets took a commanding 3-1 edge in the series on Sunday when Yao Ming stepped up after two lackluster performances to lead Houston with 21 points and 12 rebounds, as the Rockets took a hard-fought 89-88 victory over the Blazers in Game 4.

Yao, coming off mediocre 11 and seven-point efforts in Game 2 and 3, respectively, has Houston one game away from winning its first playoff series since 1997, a span of six straight first-round exits.

"Needless to say it's a great win," said Houston head coach Rick Adelman. "Tough games we've had after that first one. Every game has been the same. Both team have just battled back and our guys persevered and stayed with it."

Luis Scola continued his solid playoff stretch with 17 points and eight rebounds, while defensive specialist Shane Battier ended with 14 points, eight boards and six assists, including a pair of big three-pointers in the fourth.

Portland's Brandon Roy led all scorers with 31 points but was called for charging while attempting for the tying bucket late in the contest. LaMarcus Aldridge ended with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Portland, which has dropped 12 of its last 13 trips to Houston.

The Blazers were an impressive 34-7 at the Rose Garden during the regular season but surrendered home-court advantage quickly, dropping a 108-81 decision in Game 1.

The Rockets are succeeding in the series despite the absence backup center Dikembe Mutombo.

Mutombo suffered a career-ending injury when he 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.

Game 6, if necessary, is scheduled for Thursday night in Houston.