Luka Doncic was not happy with the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA Cup court following their matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 25.
After his complaints about the quality of the court, the league has made an announcement regarding the hardwood for the NBA Cup moving forward.
Luka Dončić’s Critique, NBA’s Response
Doncic was remarkable in the Lakers’ rivalry matchup against the Clippers. In 38 minutes of action, he finished with a stat line of 43 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, one steal, and a block. He shot 14-of-28 from the field, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Despite his dominance throughout the contest, the superstar guard expressed his dissatisfaction with the court during his postgame press conference. He noted how slippery it was, believing it could be dangerous if the team continued to play on it.
“Adjust the courts, please. It’s just slippery. It’s dangerous,” Dončić said after the game. “I slipped. I slipped a lot of times and you could see a lot of players slipped. And that’s dangerous, man.”
Los Angeles has one more matchup to play in the NBA Cup group stage, meaning the team would have to be on the specific court once again. Fortunately for them, techs from the NBA’s court vendor determined that the hardwood is unplayable, per reporter Dave McMenamin on Nov. 28.
“The Lakers will not play on the NBA Cup court tonight when they host the Mavericks, according to the team. Techs from the league’s court vendor determined that the court is unplayable for tonight. It will be sent back to the vendor for repairs,” McMenamin wrote.
Slipperiness of the courts would elevate the risk of injury for any team, including the Lakers. While the NBA wanted to make the NBA Cup courts stand out from the regular-season courts, it is essential for them to value the safety of everyone who will be on the hardwood for those contests.
What’s Next for the Lakers?
This brings good news for the Lakers as they won’t have to worry about playing on the NBA Cup court. They can proceed as usual while continuing their strong form to begin the 2025-26 campaign.
Los Angeles has a 13-4 record on the season, holding the second spot in the Western Conference standings. They are even with the Denver Nuggets while trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by four games.
The Lakers will play their last contest of the NBA Cup group stage on Nov. 28. They host the Dallas Mavericks at 10 p.m. ET. After that, they face the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 30 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
