Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki not worried about advancing years – NBA Update
Dallas Mavericks super star Dirk Nowitzki believes that he is not over the hill just yet and still has some years to offer playing high quality basketball. Nowitzki was responding to suggestions by NBA Legend and current TV analyst Charles Barkley who had
suggested that Dirk was too old now and not the force he once was.
Dirk has had a below par season this time around. Much of it was down to some injuries and the haphazard schedule. It cannot though be suggested that Nowitzki was at his usual levels at any time in the season.
The players dip in performances coincided with his team’s as they suffered after letting go a number of players during the offseason. These included influential ones like Tyson Chandler and Jose Barea who had played key roles in the Mavericks NBA World Championship
winning run last season.
Therefore it was perhaps little surprise that Nowitzki and the team found it tough this time around. The giant German though contented that it wasn’t due to the age and a lot of other factors contributed to his decline.
“Well I just thought I had a tough time getting going this year. I don’t think…I am very specific taking care of my body. During the season I eat right. I lift. I train. It took me awhile to get going with the whole lockout. There was too many games and
not enough preparation time, so I paid for that a little bit, but I still think I can play some really good basketball.”
Dirk and the Mavs were bundled out in the first round of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder bringing their campaign to an early and abrupt end. The Mavericks player though remains confident he can still be a force and pointed to the likes of former
teammate Steve Nash and current teammate Jason Kidd as inspiration to keep going.
“If you look at all of those guys they really take of their body like Steve Nash and Jason Kidd is almost 40.”
On Barkley specifically Dirk had nothing adverse to say. The German said he had always been a fan of Charles when growing up and loved watching him on TV even now, calling him funny and entertaining.
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