Opponents are averaging only 98.75 points per 100 possessions with Brendan Haywood on the floor during the playoffs.

That's a little more than five points fewer than they're averaging with Tyson Chandler (103.81), who finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, in the game. It's also a drop of five points from the regular season when Haywood manned the middle.

By comparison, the Bulls and Celtics had the best defensive rating in the NBA during the regular season at 100.3 points per 100 possessions. Haywood, who is averaging 1.2 blocks, is playing a huge role in the Mavs adhering to the old adage of defense winning championships.

While he's not scoring much, Haywood's presence has allowed the Mavs' small-ball lineup to run on a regular basis. Dallas has an off-the-charts offensive rating of 116.51 with Haywood in the game. His has a positive 37 plus-minus in 157 playoff minutes.

"He's been incredible," Chandler said. "A lot of times, even for myself, stats don't show what a guy is out there doing for his team. I think Haywood has been huge for us. He's come in every game and been locked into our defensive assignments and rotations. He's been a big part of our success."