In a recent interview with ESPN Dallas on 103.3 FM, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said that Dirk Nowitzki's struggles are due to the fact that he's getting older. Barkley, recently famous for his terrible golf swing and the impressions of him on Saturday Night Live, also said "bro" more than anybody should be legally allowed to in a short period of time.
Dirk's getting old bro. Father Time is undefeated. You know, Dirk's been a great great player for a long time and he's been in the playoffs pretty much every year. Father Time is catching up with him.
That's the way it happens, you drop off the face of the earth. His days of being the man are over. I hate to break it to you. I lived it. When you're a great player it hits you quicker, too, more than anybody because you have further to fall. You can be a guy like who's a good solid player and you can hide it for a couple years, but when you're a great player you have further to fall.
Nowitzki is in his 14th season with the Mavericks. Since the 2000 season, he had averaged at least 20 points per game, but this season he has only averaged 16.2.
Barkley also said that the Mavericks don't have a chance at winning the NBA Championship this season because they can't get past the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Mavericks aren't going to win the championship bro, it's over. They can't beat Oklahoma City, I don't think they can beat Denver or Portland, cause those are the three best teams I've seen in the West all year. They are too old and too slow. Losing Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson really killed them.
The Mavericks are 1-3 against the Thunder and Nuggets, having beating Oklahoma City once and lost to them twice and Denver once. They have not yet played the Trail Blazers, but they're scheduled to on Saturday, Feb. 11.