Hip limits Brendan Haywood in Game 4

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DALLAS -- A strained right hip flexor limited backup center Brendan Haywood to three minutes during the Dallas Mavericks' win in Tuesday's Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Haywood might not play another minute this series.

"It's a four-to-five-week injury. I'm trying to get out there in four to five days," Haywood said. "That's just the situation. It's a little disheartening, but it is what it is."

Haywood originally suffered the injury in practice before the beginning of the series against the Miami Heat. He aggravated it during Game 2, leaving the game in the fourth quarter and sitting out Game 3.

The Mavs didn't know whether Haywood could contribute in Game 4, but they decided to let him try after he tested the hip during the team's morning shootaround. It was painfully obvious that Haywood couldn't help the Mavs when Miami's Chris Bosh blew by him for an easy layup moments after the backup big man replaced Tyson Chandler.

"When I got on Bosh laterally, I couldn't move," Haywood said. "I couldn't move. I could tell it was giving me some problems."

Haywood told coach Rick Carlisle that he was unavailable for the rest of the game. Chandler played 43 minutes, scoring 13 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds.

Haywood, who usually spells Chandler for 16 minutes per game, considers himself doubtful for Thursday's Game 5. Haywood said he didn't do any further damage during to the hip during Game 4, but he doesn't know whether he'll be able to play again in the series, which is even after four games.

"Right now, I don't know," Haywood said. "I don't know. You always want to have hope, but it's just one of those tough things to overcome."

Tim MacMahon covers the Mavericks for ESPNDallas.com.

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Tim MacMahon

ESPNDallas.com

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• Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
• Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks
• Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM