JJ Redick Sounds Off on Cavaliers Elevated Court after Luka Dončić Injury

The Cleveland Cavaliers got the best of the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Wednesday evening.

The matchup between the West's and East's fifth seeds was much tighter through the first half in LeBron James' return to Cleveland. A lower leg injury to Lakers star Luka Dončić—suffered five minutes into the first quarter—briefly sidelined him. He returned later on in the quarter.

Dončić attempted to keep the ball inbound while speeding toward the courtside seats, ultimately ending up in the first row as he went to slow himself down. Dončić appeared to have injured his ankle after stepping off the Cavaliers elevated court during his tumble into the crowd.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick called Cleveland's elevated court a "safety hazard," noting it's the last one of its kind in the NBA.

JJ Redick reacts to Luka Dončić's injury in the first quarter that resulted from the Cavs' elevated floor 😬 pic.twitter.com/Hwwotgozy9
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 29, 2026

While Redick’s concerns are validated by the fact that Cleveland is unique for their raised hardwood, it typically isn’t an issue when it comes to player safety and performance any other day. The crowd silencing moment when Dončić went down off Cleveland’s court was as unfortunate as it was unpredictable, but change could be a topic of discussion for the court.

The main reason behind Cleveland’s raised court is due to their shared use of Rocket Arena with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL hockey league. This has been the case for Rocket Arena for quite a long time, with the floor raised about 10 inches above the floor used for the Monsters’ ice rink.

As to whether or not the Cavaliers will be confronted regarding their elevated court remains unclear at this time, but it could be something addressed by the league and officials as to what their next option could be if a change were to be made.

The Cavaliers and Monsters often host games in back-to-back days, so their use of the elevated court takes place more often than some may realize and will continue to do so till further notice.

Even with Dončić’s injury, Luka made his presence felt after his return to the game. He would go on to score a team high 29 points, shooting 3-for-8 from three-point range while recording six rebounds and 5 assists.

Cleveland played a complete game in which they continued to execute offensively while capitalizing on the Lakers’ mistakes. This was certainly a game with potential to be close and exciting before Luka’s injury drained Los Angeles’ energy.

The Cavaliers win tonight improves their record to 29-20, with a 17-11 record overall playing at home. Their next home game is scheduled for February 11th against the Washington Wizards.