http://www.sport1.de/de/sport/artikel_219889.html--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sport1: How far have you progressed in the process of accepting the loss against the Miami Heat ?Nowitzki: Well, how far have I progressed? I?m still in the process. I believe that it will continue to hurt for a couple of months. I?ll think about it even during the World Cup. Certain plays go through your mind before you sleep. But big losses are a part of sports. You have to learn from it and, if it?s possible, be even more motivated about it next year. Maybe we will have a chance to do better in the future.Sport1: What do you think is possible for the next season?Nowitzki: We will get one or two reinforcements. You can never stand still. You always have to look forward. Certainly other teams will improve, too. But I think anything will be possible for us.Sport1: On what position do the Mavericks need to improve the most?Nowitzki: We need somebody from the bench who can play on the big position as a 4. We need another shooter who can help us from the outside. Like in a series against Miami who clogged the middle very good. Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse can shoot from the distance, but aren?t consistent enough. They are pretty much streaky shooters. We need one more player who is capable of shooting the lights out from the outside.Sport1: Once you have hinted your contract extension in Dallas would be a ?no-brainer?. Your contract is running for 2 more years, negotiations are about three additional years. Then you would be 33 years old.Nowitzki: If I extend now, then I would have a contract for 5 years. A ?no-brainer?? Well, I will think about it the next months. I still have time to sign until October.Sport1: Do you have to contemplate about certain things first? Last year you said you could imagine playing for some other team too?Nowitzki: Sure, you have to think about the future too. But I also said that I could imagine finishing my career in Dallas. The fans are great, the environment is good. Mark Cuban, Avery Johnson, our new coach, who pushed us very far.Sport1: Do you think you will continue when you are 33 years old? Or will it come to an end?Nowitzki: When you are 33 everything is still possible. Of course this also depends on how my body develops until then. But you can still play on a high level when you are 33. Now we have to see whether I sign the contract or not.Sport1: The Italian Andrea Bargnani who is the number one draft pick this year already gets compared to you.Nowitzki: I have heard about him a lot. I haven?t met him yet. Last year, when we were playing against Italy, he wasn?t there. I watched the draft live, when they showed some clips. At the summer league in Las Vegas he supposedly played very well. He surely is a huge talent and will make his way.Sport1: In the past teams would search for the ?new? Michael Jordan. Now it seems everybody is searching for the ?new? Dirk Nowitzki.Nowitzki: In the recent years the NBA gradually went away from big centers. Shaq is the last of his kind. Nowadays centers need to be able to shoot from the outside. The Phoenix Suns are playing with 5 guys, who all can shoot. The rule change made by the NBA leads to more movement, to 120:118 games. That?s why it?s a sign that Bargani is the first pick. He is big and can shoot. Probably that?s the future of basketball.Sport1: After the finals Germany?s coach Dirk Bauerman said that he is expecting a ?defiance reaction? from you at the World Cup.Nowitzki: Nah, ?defiance reaction?, I?m not sure about that. Sure, I?m frustrated. I had to accept many defeats during my career, but I always continued to train and play as usual. There will always be highs and lows. It wasn?t different during the season. After we lost against Phoenix last year I wanted to bury myself for 2 months. I thought, just like against Miami, that we were the better team, but still lost. That hurts for a couple of months, but it won?t kill me.Sport1: What will Germany be able to accomplish at the World Cup in Japan?Nowitzki: The Americans are the favourites. They were planning to play with an all-star team but have lost some players.But with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade you can still expect a huge show. Then there are other teams like Spain or Argentina who can compete with the best. The Greek have been great at the European Cup. Everybody has a chance to win.
