"She can't play against DiJonai, her lover": Veteran analyst reacts after Christie Sides removes NaLyssa Smith from Fever's starting 5

Veteran analyst Jason Whitlock reacted sharply to Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides' decision to remove forward NaLyssa Smith from the starting lineup for Game 2 and the forward's lack of minutes in the playoffs. Despite the tweak made by Sides, the Fever lost Game 2 87-81 to crash out of the playoffs, getting swept 2-0 in the best-of-three-game series by the Sun.

Coach Sides made a key adjustment for Game 2, inserting veteran Temi Fagbenle into the starting lineup while moving NaLyssa Smith to the bench. Smith played just over eight minutes in Game 1 and failed to score a point.

Whitlock offered a bizarre explanation for Sides' decision to bench Smith, suggesting that the 24-year-old forward couldn’t play effectively against DiJonai Carrington, who also happens to be her girlfriend.

"Good lord, they have to sit NaLyssa Smith because she can't play against DiJonai, her lover. WNBA," Whitlock posted on X (formerly Twitter).

After the game, Smith and Carrington shared a special moment on the court. The couple exchanged a warm hug and posed for pictures before walking back to their respective locker rooms.

The Fever coach's decision to replace Smith with Fagbenle seemed to have worked well, as Fagbenle put on a solid performance.

She scored nine points on 4-of-8 shooting including 1-of-2 from the 3-point range. The 32-year-old also collected nine rebounds, dished out three assists and recorded one steal in 35:21 minutes.

Meanwhile, Smith remained a non-factor for the second consecutive game, going scoreless once again. In 4:05 minutes on the court, she didn’t attempt a single shot but grabbed three rebounds.

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Jason Whitlock criticizes Indiana Fever's style of play

Jason Whitlock expressed dissatisfaction with the Indiana Fever's style of play in Game 2 against the Connecticut Sun. The veteran analyst criticized the lack of player movement in the Fever’s offensive strategy.

"I've watched a lot of basketball. I've never seen that. But it's been building all year. The Fever do more standing around doing nothing than any team I've ever seen. It's part of the offense. Just standstill. I don't get it," Whitlock said in another tweet.

For much of the game, the Fever remained in contention for a win. Caitlin Clark’s 3-pointer with four minutes left gave Indiana a 71-70 lead. However, just as the Fever appeared poised to take control, the Sun tightened up their play and pulled ahead, shutting down any hopes of a Fever victory.