Tyrese Haliburton Calls Out Fever Coach White After Crushing 90-68 Aces Loss: ‘Why Risk Hull? Where’s Timpson?’..

Tyrese Haliburton Calls Out Fever Coach White After Crushing 90-68 Aces Loss: ‘Why Risk Hull? Where’s Timpson?’..

In the wake of the Indiana Fever’s disheartening 90-68 playoff semifinal drubbing at the hands of the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night, Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton didn’t hold back. The Fever’s most vocal courtside cheerleader fired off pointed questions on social media and in a postgame Instagram Live, zeroing in on head coach Stephanie White’s rotations amid a series-tying defeat that exposed glaring vulnerabilities.

“Why gamble on Lexie Hull when she’s clearly not 100% fit?” Haliburton posted on X, garnering over 50,000 likes in minutes. Hull, the gritty wing defender, logged 28 minutes despite nursing a nagging ankle tweak from Game 1’s narrow win. She managed just four points on 2-of-9 shooting, her labored lateral movement allowing A’ja Wilson to feast with 32 points and 15 rebounds. Haliburton’s frustration echoed fan sentiment: White’s decision to lean on the 26-year-old veteran—over healthier options—backfired spectacularly, as the Aces’ bench outscored Indiana’s 48-22.

But Haliburton’s ire extended further. “And where’s Makayla Timpson? Kid’s a beast—why bench her in crunch time?” the 25-year-old All-Star demanded during his Live stream, shirtless and pacing his hotel room. The 2025 rookie sensation, a 6-2 forward-center drafted 19th overall out of Florida State, dazzled in limited regular-season action with her rebounding prowess (8.2 per 36 minutes) and shot-blocking. Yet in Game 2, Timpson sat for all but two garbage-time minutes, despite the Fever’s frontcourt getting torched inside. Her absence was stark: Indiana was outrebounded 47-32, with Wilson exploiting mismatches unchecked.

White, stoic in her presser, defended her choices. “Lexie’s our heart—toughness matters in playoffs. Makayla’s learning; rotations tighten under pressure.” Still, the 22-point blowout—Indiana’s worst postseason loss since 2016—has intensified scrutiny on White’s third season. With Caitlin Clark sidelined by injury and the series shifting back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 3 on Friday, Haliburton’s outburst amplifies a growing chorus: Is White adapting fast enough to this young core’s potential?

Haliburton, no stranger to Fever loyalty (he’s tight with Clark and Kelsey Mitchell), wrapped his rant with optimism: “Indy fights back. Always.” But as the Aces celebrate evening the series at 1-1, the pressure mounts. Will White adjust, or risk a feverish fanbase’s ire boiling over?