LeBron James Emotional During Cleveland Return, Cavaliers Dominate 129-99
LeBron James Emotional During Cleveland Return, Cavaliers Dominate 129-99
Jan 29, 2026
Nicolas Flamecourt
NBA: Luka Dončić’s Injury Reignites Debate Over Cleveland’s Raised Court
The NBA and Cavaliers will work on modifications to their court design following the incident involving the Lakers star during Wednesday night's 129-99 defeat.
Photo Credit : © David Richard-Imagn Images
Luka Dončić’s injury during Wednesday night’s game between the Lakers and Cavaliers has reignited questions about the safety of Cleveland’s court. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the NBA and the Ohio franchise will jointly examine possible modifications to their raised court.
An Incident That Revives Safety Concerns
The incident occurred during the Lakers’ heavy defeat (129-99) against the Cavaliers on Wednesday. Dončić briefly left the court after falling off the raised floor following a 3-point attempt, suffering an apparent leg injury.
« While improvements have been made to the arena floor over the years to address this issue, the NBA and Cavaliers are re-examining the situation given last night’s incident, » a league spokesperson said Thursday, according to Vardon.
NBA to meet with Cavaliers to discuss changes to raised Rocket Arena court, per @joevardon. pic.twitter.com/pjezjj8Y7t
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 30, 2026
The Lakers’ five-time All-Star guard was able to return to the game before the end of the first quarter and finish the contest, but remains listed as questionable for Friday’s game against Washington due to ankle soreness.
A Unique NBA Court That Poses Problems
The Cavaliers are the only NBA team to play on a raised court, located approximately 25 centimeters higher than the rest of Rocket Arena’s floor. This elevation is due to the basketball court being situated above a hockey rink, as the arena is shared with the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate team of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
« It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, and looking at the video, I think I got a little lucky, » Dončić said after Wednesday’s defeat, according to Vardon. Lakers coach JJ Redick was even more direct: « It’s absolutely a safety hazard, » he stated according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
This configuration had already caused damage in November 2023, when Heat guard Dru Smith fell off the court and suffered a season-ending knee sprain. With the incident involving Dončić, changes could finally be coming to Rocket Arena.
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