German national team coach Dirk Bauermann admitted in an interview with a German internet sports sportal that he is worried about his superstar Dirk Nowitzki, who is dealing with the arrest of his girlfriend Cristal Taylor on two outstanding warrants.
“Just like everybody else I was surprised with the news. Nobody can expect something like that, especially not with such a good-hearted person with so much integrity like Dirk,” Bauerman told spox.com.
“That was the last thing that he deserved. I am worried about Dirk. Nobody can imagine what it’s like to have half the world talking about you. I’ve gotten to know him very good and have a lot of human respect for him. And it hurts me a lot that something like this has happened to him. It’s tragic.”
Bauermann did not want to talk about private discussions he had with Nowitzki but he said he did not sense anything wrong with Nowitzki at his most recent meeting.
The German coach said the Mavericks’ on-going Playoffs series with the Denver Nuggets is the perfect get-away for Nowitzki, and that spectators will not be able to notice anything wrong with the power forward in Saturday’s Game Three.
“Basketball allows him to get away from things that displease him. On the court, the journalists are far away and he doesn’t have to answer any questions. He can just do what he loves to do most,” Bauermann said in the spox.com interview.
“Dirk has an unbelievable ability to concentrate and block out anything that can mentally slow him down. That’s why Dirk plays his best at the end of big games in the most important moments. So basically, he has the ability to deal with a very difficult situation. I believe he will be okay.”
Here is a video of Nowitzki meeting the press before Dallas’ Game Three.