PORTLAND, Ore. — After winning their first playoff game in six years, the Portland Trail Blazers couldn't help but be a little amazed with their victory over the Houston Rockets.

"We kind of laughed about it, 'Man, it's hard winning games in the playoffs. It takes a lot of work,' " said Brandon Roy, who had 42 points in Portland's 107-103 victory last night.

The playoff series, now even at a game apiece, moves to Houston for Game 3 on Friday.

Aaron Brooks led a late charge and finished with 23 points for Houston, which has not made it out of the first round since 1997. Von Wafer came off the bench to add 21.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and 12 rebounds for Trail Blazers, who had not been to the playoffs since the 2003 season, and had never dropped the first two games of a playoff series at home.

"Now we know what we have to do," Aldridge said. "We have to be physical with these guys and play with confidence."

Greg Oden's dunk pulled the Blazers into an 89-all tie with 4:45 left, before Steve Blake's finger roll put them ahead.

Portland extended the lead to 96-90 after Travis Outlaw hit a jumper and Roy made a falling-down 3-pointer.

The Rockets closed to 104-100 on Brooks' 3-pointer with 6.3 seconds left. After Roy hit a free throw, Brooks made another 3 to make it 105-103 with 1.5 seconds to go.

Rudy Fernandez sealed the win by hitting two free throws.

"Now we've got ourselves a playoff series," said Houston guard Ron Artest.

Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo injured his left leg in the first quarter and left the court on a stretcher.

Mutombo appeared to get tangled with Oden and came down hard. He was prone on the court under the Blazers' basket for several moments before he was taken from the court.

A preliminary examination showed a left knee strain, the Rockets said.

"For me, basketball is over," Mutombo said.

CAVS 94, PISTONS 82

CLEVELAND — LeBron James, showing no regard for a defensive plan Detroit spent three days preparing for him, scored 29 points and Mo Williams added 21 as Cleveland held off Detroit to open a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

Delonte West scored 20 and Zydrunas Ilgauskas 12 for the top-seeded Cavs, who built a 29-point lead in the fourth but lost their edge and let the Pistons get within seven in the closing minutes before finally putting Detroit away.

"We lost our focus," Williams said. "We all knew it. But it's nothing to get overly concerned about. I don't think it will happen again."

James added 13 rebounds, six assists and an unforgettable, wind-mill dunk before pulling on his warmups and sitting the first 4:45 of the fourth quarter.

But as Cleveland's star was resting up for Game 3 on Friday night at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., the Pistons, showing more fight than they had in two games, closed within 14 and forced Cavs coach Mike Brown to put James and Cleveland's other starters back in.

LAKERS 119, JAZZ 109

LOs Angeles — Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, Pau Gasol added 22 and Lamar Odom had 19 off the bench as Los Angeles held off Utah for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 first-round Western Conference playoff series.

The Lakers' Phil Jackson notched his 195th career postseason victory, the most of any coach in NBA history.

"It was an offensive display, not always great ballhandling, but a lot of scoring," he said. "That was a trial out there and they threw some new things at us."

But the Lakers handled the Jazz like they always have at Staples Center, sending Utah to its 11th consecutive loss, including playoff games.