LaMarcus Aldridge had 31 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers, who unexpectedly activated Roy shortly before the game, eight days after he had arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.

Roy didn't start and played a relatively quiet 26 minutes, finishing with 10 points, but hit a key 3-pointer with 4:55 left that gave Portland a 85-79 lead and swung the momentum of a close game.

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 26 points. The series returns to Phoenix on Monday.

The Blazers were much more competitive at the start than they had been the past two games and led 54-50 at halftime.

The game was tied 74-74 early in the fourth quarter. The Suns were unable to pull ahead, despite poor shooting by the Blazers from the field. Portland missed 12 straight shots but was able to stay in the game on the free throw line.

Then came Roy's 3-pointer with 4:55 left to make it 85-79.

He made a jumper with 2:10 left that gave the Blazers a 91-83 lead, their biggest of the game.

In Charlotte, Orlando overcame Dwight Howard's continuing foul trouble to beat Charlotte and take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Howard played only 26 minutes and fouled out with 3:32 left. But Jameer Nelson had 32 points, including a key late basket, and backup center Marcin Gortat hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to put it away.

Charlotte's Stephen Jackson scored 19 points, but was 6 of 18 from the field and missed a key 3-pointer in the final minute.

For the third straight game, Howard played about half the game, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks, but the Magic can clinch a spot in the second round with a victory here in Game 4 Monday.

The cold-shooting Bobcats, meanwhile, face the prospect of a first-round sweep in their first playoff appearance.

Charlotte hadn't hosted a playoff game since the Hornets' last year here in 2002 before bolting for New Orleans. But with owner Michael Jordan squirming in his seat, the 6-year-old Bobcats wilted in the fourth quarter despite the biggest crowd in franchise history.

Nelson's floater in the lane with 1:32 left put Orlando ahead 85-82. After an empty possession for each team, Raymond Felton's driving layup with 52 seconds left cut the lead to one.

Nelson then missed a contested layup, giving Charlotte the ball with 31 seconds left. But Jackson was badly short on a straightaway 3-point attempt.

Vince Carter hit two free throws at the other end, Felton missed a shot in the lane, and Gortat then hit 3-of-4 free throws to put it away.

In Milwaukee, John Salmons scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting and Milwaukee never let up after a hot start to beat Atlanta and close the series deficit to 2-1.

The Bucks shot 68 percent in the first quarter and 51 percent for the game, and were never seriously threatened after building a 19-point, first-half lead.

Veteran Kurt Thomas had eight points, 13 rebounds and four stitches and rookie Brandon Jennings added 13 points for Milwaukee.

Joe Johnson scored 25 for Atlanta. Game 4 is Monday in Milwaukee.

The Hawks shot 39 percent for the game, and only once appeared poised to make a run. They cut the lead to nine early in the third quarter, but Jennings and the Bucks turned up the pressure.

In Oklahoma City, the hosts squared their series with Los Angeles at 2-2.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points and Russell Westbrook added 18 points and eight assists for the Thunder, who again capitalized on a significant edge at the foul line and on the boards despite the presence of the Lakers' towering tandem of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

Oklahoma City never trailed after the opening 5 minutes and led by double digits for the final three quarters in a thorough dismantling of the defending NBA champions.

Bynum had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Gasol also scored 13 to lead Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant finished with only 12 points.

Game 5 is Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Oklahoma City held a 50-43 rebounding edge and shot 20 more free throws - finishing 42 of 48.

The Thunder are still fighting against history. Only three of 52 eighth-seeded teams have ever pulled an upset against a No. 1 seed, and Lakers coach Phil Jackson is 44-0 when his team wins Game 1 of any playoff series.