Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Charles Barkley leapt to the defence of the "Dream Team" concept on Wednesday despite another uninspiring performance which raised more questions about its long-term appeal.
The United States ran out comfortable 104-82 winners over Lithuania in front of a subdued crowd in the Georgia Dome - which had witnessed scenes of hysteria the previous night as the Americans clinched the women's gymnastics team gold. The contrast was not lost on Barkley and his team-mates, who appear increasingly frustrated with the lack of support from those among the media who feel the current "Dream Team" do not compare with the 1992 version.
"College kids can't win the gold medal any more. The days when you could go out and beat teams by 40, 50 or 60 points are gone," said Barkley, who top-scored with 16 points. "In 1992 we were kind of like a freak show... everyone was out on the court with us. I reckon we're still 30 points better than most of these teams, but the other countries have improved."
Barkley even suggested it might be time to drop the "Dream Team" tag in favour of Team USA, but he remains convinced the crowds will continue to flock to see the NBA's top stars playing together.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments