Tyrese Haliburton Sends Scathing Message to ESPN Analysts After Stephen A. Smith’s Criticism

How much power should the media really have in shaping the NBA narrative? Do their hot takes drive the game forward or just fan unnecessary flames? After Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton made his stance crystal clear—and let’s just say, the media won’t be thrilled. In a moment of honesty, Hali didn’t hold back as he revealed exactly whose feedback matters to him… and it’s not coming from behind a mic or a studio desk.

Hali was asked about all the noise before the series kicked off, and especially after Game 2. After all, several journalists questioned Haliburton’s star status after a relatively quiet game. And leading the charge was ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who asked, “Where you at?” on First Take, saying that Hali disappeared too often in big games. Well, the Indiana Pacers’ point guard was asked about this after his team’s Game 3 triumph. Here’s the scathing response he gave to Stephen A. Smith.

“Yeah. I think the commentary is always gonna be what it is. You know? Most of the time, the talking heads on the major platforms, I couldn’t care less honestly. Like, what do they really know about basketball?” questioned Tyrese Haliburton. Ouch. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he revealed that he doesn’t even watch these programs save for a glance when they’re on at his house. “I try to stay off it as much as I can,” he said at the post-game press conference.

 

Tyrese Haliburton on critics of his lower scoring games:

“Most of the time, the talking heads on the platforms… I couldn’t care less, honestly. Like, what do they really know about basketball… The commentary is what it is at this point. We’re in the NBA Finals, two wins way… pic.twitter.com/S0GmWHRaLs

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 12, 2025

Stephen A. Smith believed that Hali’s Game 2 performance was “emblematic” of the criticism he receives. Specifically, the aforementioned narrative of him failing to show up when the Pacers need him. Now, Tyrese Haliburton does have bad games sometimes. Like his measly 8-point haul in Game 4 against the New York Knicks, for instance. But even the best players have bad games. And Tyrese knows this, calling it an “ebb and flow” to his game.

And that’s EXACTLY why the 25-year-old isn’t bothered by the noise. Tyrese knows his game inside out. And he has a system in place that helps him identify and fix deficiencies in his game.

Tyrese Haliburton reveals how he improves his game

Now, before we pile on Stephen A Smith too much, it’s true. Tyrese Haliburton did have a stinker in Game 2. He only put up 5 points on the board in the first three quarters. And dropping 12 in the final quarter just wasn’t enough as the Thunder ran away with the W.

But tonight, he made up for all his Game 2 failings to get the Indiana Pacers a 2-1 lead in the 2025 NBA Finals. He put up 22 points, dished out 11 dimes, and ended the game only 1 board shy of a Finals triple-double. And here’s the process that lets him bounce back like this. “Watching film myself, seeing where I can get better is, is important,” he said. He then revealed that it wasn’t a one-man job. He also enlists his coach and trainer’s help to get different opinions.

May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

 “I think just seeing where I can be better is the most important thing. And tahaving that reflection with myself. I talk a lot, obviously, with my trainer, Drew, and, coach Carlisle and all those guys. And it’s a constant conversation of seeing where I could get better. There was adjustments that had to be made coming into today for me, and I thought I did a better job at that. And I’ll watch them again and see where I can get better,” said Tyrese.

And this mindset will be really encouraging for Pacers fans in this series. After all, having a dud is part of the game. However, remaining undeterred and bouncing back from it? Now, that’s what makes someone a superstar! And Tyrese Haliburton lives up to that tag and then some!

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