Doncic complains about slippery court after Lakers’ victory over Clippers

In a vibrant encounter, the Lakers defeated the Clippers with a score of 135-118, but the victory was marred by a worrying detail: the alternative yellow court used for the NBA Cup game.

Problems on the Court

Lakers star Luka Doncic expressed his concern about the slippery surface of the court, calling it “dangerous.” The Slovenian player mentioned having suffered several slips, as did other players, which raised concerns about safety in the game.

It’s just slippery. It’s dangerous.

Luka Doncic

Despite these issues, the Lakers managed to secure their position in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, earning a financial prize of $53,093 per player. The league implements alternative courts with eye-catching designs as a promotional tool for the tournament. Doncic noticed the slippery condition during the pre-game warm-up. Although additional court cleaning was requested, this was not enough to avoid the impact on the game. Lakers coach JJ Redick attributed the problem to condensation on the surface, aggravated by the fact that Crypto.com Arena also hosts games for the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, with the ice rink converted for the NBA Cup match. The Lakers are taking steps to address court issues before their next game against the Dallas Mavericks. If they manage to beat the Mavericks, they will secure a home game in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

Doncic’s Outstanding Performance

Despite the difficulties, the Lakers managed to overcome the Clippers. Doncic led the attack with 43 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds. Austin Reaves contributed 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals, while LeBron James scored 25 points, his best mark since his return from a sciatic injury, as well as 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Incident between Doncic and Dunn

The game also had a tense moment when the Clippers’ Kris Dunn and Doncic exchanged words after Dunn pushed Doncic in the back.

I was expecting the rebound when I got a low blow to the back, so I’m not going to stand still [for that].

Luka Doncic

Doncic expressed his satisfaction with the defense of his teammate Jaxson Hayes, who pushed Dunn in the chest. Dunn was sanctioned with two technical fouls and ejected, while Hayes received a technical. Doncic offered to cover Hayes’ $2,000 fine, demonstrating the camaraderie in the team.