Lakers to Use Regular Hardwood for NBA Cup Quarterfinal Against Spurs
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The Los Angeles Lakers will face the San Antonio Spurs on their customary court Wednesday in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, abandoning the bright yellow tournament floor that drew safety complaints last month, sources told ESPN.
Players raised concerns after the specialized surface—supplied by the league to every team for promotional purposes—appeared slick during the Lakers’ group-stage win over the LA Clippers on Nov. 25. Luka Doncic labeled the court “dangerous,” prompting the organization to return it to the vendor for repairs.
A league source said the decision to stick with the standard Crypto.com Arena hardwood was made “out of an abundance of caution.” The floor was not ready in time for the single-elimination matchup with San Antonio.
Los Angeles has already opted for its everyday court once in the tournament, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 129-119 on Nov. 28 after Doncic’s complaints. The Orlando Magic followed suit Tuesday, using their regular court in a 117-108 victory over the Miami Heat in another quarterfinal.
“I really appreciate the Lakers and the league,” Doncic said after the earlier change. “They did us a favor…just changing the court and giving us [a chance to] stay healthy.”
Despite his criticism of the surface, the All-Star guard remains a proponent of the event itself. “I like it a lot,” he said of the NBA Cup, now in its third year, comparing it to Spain’s Copa del Rey.
The winner of Wednesday’s Lakers-Spurs contest will advance to Saturday’s semifinal in Las Vegas to play either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Phoenix Suns.
Source: ESPN
