The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Dallas Mavericks on their regular home court Friday night after deeming the special NBA Cup floor unplayable due to slipperiness. The decision follows complaints from players after Tuesday's 135-118 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Technicians from the league's court vendor confirmed the surface needs repairs and will be ready in two weeks.
The Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Cup court, featuring a bright yellow design with purple borders and tournament branding, drew immediate criticism after its debut in Tuesday's 135-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. Lakers star Luka Dončić, who scored 43 points with 13 assists and 9 rebounds, described the surface as dangerously slippery during his postgame interview. "I slipped a lot of times and you could see a lot of players slipped," Dončić said. "And that’s dangerous, man." He mentioned the issue multiple times, noting it felt off even during warmups.
Forward Rui Hachimura echoed the concerns ahead of Friday's matchup, saying, "That was bad. I felt it right away when I was warming up. It just felt weird. Just like oily, slippery. Everybody was on the floor, literally. Every second." Coach JJ Redick attributed potential problems to condensation from the arena's recent NHL Kings game on Monday, stating, "Sometimes courts just don't dry well when there's condensation on it."
League technicians determined the court unplayable for safety reasons and sent it for repairs, with the Lakers opting for their standard floor. The team, 3-0 in NBA Cup group play and having clinched Group B in the Western Conference, can secure home-court advantage in the quarterfinals with a win Friday. The Mavericks, at 1-2 and eliminated from advancement, will face Dončić for the first time since his February trade to the Lakers, which sent Anthony Davis to Dallas.
Davis, averaging 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds in 14 games, is set to return after missing 14 contests with a calf strain. Center DeAndre Ayton returns for the Lakers after a knee contusion, while guard Marcus Smart is doubtful with back spasms. Tip-off is at 10 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
