JJ Redick Calls Out 'Safety Hazard' That Caused Luka Doncic Injury During Lakers vs. Cavs

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick expressed concerns regarding the safety of the elevated court at Rocket Arena after Luka Dončić suffered an injury during the Lakers' 129-99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

"It is absolutely a safety hazard," Redick said after the game, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

The Cavaliers' home court is raised approximately 10 inches above ground level, per McMenamin.

Dončić appeared to suffer a leg injury after falling off the edge of the floor following a three-point attempt, briefly exiting the game before returning prior to the end of the first quarter.

He still scored a game-high 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 3-of-8 from behind the arc. Dončić also pulled down five rebounds and dished out six assists compared to two turnovers.

Cleveland's floor is elevated due to the presence of an ice rink underneath, as Rocket Arena is also home to the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The rink and basketball court are separated by a plastic subfloor, according to Cleveland Magazine's Julia Lombardo.

Redick isn't the first head coach to bring up the safety of the floor, as Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra echoed a similar sentiment after Heat guard Dru Smith fell off the court and suffered a season-ending knee injury in Nov. 2023.

"Maybe this is something that can be addressed with the league moving forward," Spoelstra said at the time, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. "I doubt anything will change with the floor. It is a hazard in our mind and probably in a lot of other teams' minds, too."

Dončić appeared to avoid a serious injury on Wednesday, although the Lakers still fell to 28-18 on the season.