The 10-inch drop off outside the sidelines that almost ruined their season. In the very first quarter, Luka Doncic slipped and had to hobble to the locker room. It was a disastrous sight, met with relief once the Slovenian made his return a few minutes later. But the incident did cause damage.

“I kind of got scared. You know, wasn’t a great feeling. And looking back at the video, I think I got a little bit lucky. It hurts obviously more now. But I try to go,” the NBA’s current scoring leader told reporters after the loss.

The Lakers guard did have an efficient outing, scoring 29 to go with six assists on 60% shooting. But he didn’t feel 100% after the injury. The discomfort affected his movement on the court, and subsequently the Lakers’ energy. Luka Doncic doesn’t want that to be an excuse going forward.

But in some ways, it was also understandable. Even the Slovenian considered himself “lucky” after thinking about what happened to Dru Smith a few years ago. The Heat forward had a similar incident while contesting for a three-pointer during the 2023-24 season. He slipped on a stat sheet and landed awkwardly near the Cavaliers bench.

He wasn’t as fortunate as Luka Doncic. Smith suffered a season-ending third-degree ACL sprain, which raised security concerns about the Rocket Arena’s uneven flooring. Doncic admitted that his first thought went right back to that incident, stating, “It’s the only court that’s like this”.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat issued complaints to the NBA to avoid further dangers. If that wasn’t enough, even JJ Redick spoke about the concerns of having a steep drop.

JJ Redick tears down the Cavaliers’ court structure

The warning signs were issued when Dru Smith suffered a catastrophic injury two years ago. It wasn’t because of an unfortunate slip or bad landing. His ACL got damaged because of the 10-inch difference between the hardwood and the bench. Spoelstra was particularly upset since it was “an injury that could have been avoided”.

Years later, there may not have been a major injury. However, the conditions are still the same. As Coach Spo said, it’s an accident waiting to happen. JJ Redick almost felt the same way after Luka Doncic slipped awkwardly. He called it a “safety hazard”, the same words used by the Heat coach a few seasons ago.

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“I haven’t watched the play yet, so I know that he rolled his ankle falling off the floor. There’s been a number of injuries over the years in this building because of the floor,” said Redick.

Why hasn’t there been any change, considering the numerous injuries, both minor and major, that have occurred? This is due to the Cavaliers sharing their arena with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. Beneath the hardwood, the hockey team stores its ice. The Nuggets and the Knicks face the same predicament, but their operational frameworks are distinct. This is why coaches are unhappy with the league’s inaction regarding the potential danger of the Cavaliers’ raised court.

Sadly, Redick doesn’t see a change coming through a formal complaint.

“It is way above my pay grade. It is absolutely a safety hazard. I don’t know why it’s still like that. I don’t. You can lodge for more complaints. A lot of times you don’t see any change when you lodge a formal complaint,” the Lakers coach added.

Do you think Adam Silver needs to push for a changed infrastructure to protect players? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.