TITLE: Luka Doncic, JJ Redick Press NBA to Fix Cavaliers’ Raised Court After Scare
SLUG: doncic-redick-call-for-change-to-cavaliers-raised-court
CONTENT:
January 28, 2026 — Cleveland, OH. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic narrowly avoided a serious ankle injury during the first quarter of Wednesday’s 129-99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena, the NBA’s only venue with a raised playing surface.
After releasing a three-pointer, Doncic backpedaled and stepped into the gap between the elevated court and the lower arena floor, tumbling to the ground. He left for the locker room but returned later and finished with 29 points, five rebounds and six assists.
“I Got Scared”
“I kind of got scared,” Doncic said postgame. “It wasn’t a great feeling, and, looking back at the video, I think I got a little bit lucky.”
Coach Labels Floor a “Safety Hazard”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick criticized the design. “It is absolutely a safety hazard,” Redick told reporters. “I don’t know why it’s still like that. You can lodge formal complaints; a lot of times you don’t see any change.”
Rocket Arena’s court sits a few inches above the surrounding surface, creating a drop-off unfamiliar to most NBA players. Wednesday’s incident has renewed calls for the league and the Cavaliers to address the configuration before a more severe injury occurs.
Despite the scare, Doncic’s performance could not prevent Los Angeles from falling to Cleveland by 30 points. The Lakers’ star continues to draw attention league-wide, with several front-court players reportedly interested in teaming up with him in the future.
Source: Lakers Nation
