What is better than an organization actually listening to its players? It has not been long since Luka Dončić publicly complained about the Lakers’ NBA Cup court. He called out how slippery and dangerous it felt during the last group play. And the reinforcement came quickly. The concerns he voiced come as a last-minute decision made by the NBA. 

He wasn’t exaggerating. Multiple players hit the deck during that Clippers game, and even Jaxson Hayes got dragged into a late-game scuffle after Dončić slipped and tangled with Kris Dunn, further underscoring how unstable the surface felt in real time.

The Lakers’ NBA Cup court was officially declared unplayable. As posted by Hooper on Instagram, “The NBA’s techs have deemed the Lakers’ NBA Cup court as ‘unplayable’ and plan to send it back for repairs.” 

That language came directly from the league’s floor vendor: as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin relayed, technicians determined the Cup court was “unplayable for tonight” and ordered it shipped back to the manufacturer for repairs.

“I don’t like the court, it is just slippery, it is dangerous… I slipped a lot of times.” Luka had expressed his frustration candidly, and it was heard. Tonight’s Lakers-Mavs matchup will now be played on the usual regular-season court for safety. Was this change a long time coming? 

The frustration over the special Emirates NBA Cup courts stretches back to the tournament’s inaugural season in 2023. Luka Dončić was still with the Dallas Mavericks. He had first publicly complained that the floors felt “really slippery” and noted that “in some places, the ball didn’t really bounce.”

He was not even alone. Other stars such as Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Haliburton also criticized the Cup courts in 2023.  “The court was just slippery all game,” Brown had said. “As players, we’re all here for the in-season tournament because it’s going to generate revenue, excitement, competition, etc. We’ve got to make sure the floor is safe to play on. We can’t put our players out there and risk their health.”

What did the NBA do to cater to the players? The league consolidated production next year in 2024 so that all new Cup floors were built by a single approved vendor. That was Robbins Sports Surfaces,  with painting by Bona US and finishing by Praters Flooring. The idea was to have more thorough quality control, with only one manufacturer. 

Now in 2025, each team’s Emirates NBA Cup 2025 court is a striking piece of art or as they claimed. Designed by artist Victor Solomon, who also designed the NBA Cup Trophy in collaboration with Tiffany&Co. The floors feature fully-painted gradient designs in the host team’s primary color. For the Lakers it was bright yellow with purple borders. Many fans even complained about the loud colors on the floor. 

Every court also included a contrasting apron reflecting the home team’s Nike Statement Edition uniform color. A 5×5 mosaic grid overlays the floor, symbolic of both the five players on the court and the five teams in each tournament group. Hidden touches commemorated past NBA Cup champions, with the winning year engraved at center court in the Milwaukee Bucks’ and Los Angeles Lakers’ arenas.

Yet, despite these intricate design elements and aesthetic promises, safety concerns have surfaced once again. Now that the court has been officially declared unplayable, the Lakers will host the Mavericks on a standard hardwood floor while repairs are made.

The Lakers host the Mavericks for the final group play

Los Angeles Lakers have not just dominated the regular season; they are on fire in the NBA Cup group stage, too. After winning over the Grizzlies and Pelicans, the Lakers booked their third straight group‑play victory. They crushed the Los Angeles Clippers by 135-118 on November 25. In that game, Luka Dončić exploded for 43 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds. To seal the top seed in West Group B, he added a blistering 24-point first quarter. With that kind of firepower leading the way, Luka is now averaging 34 ppg in NBA cup group play, which is the highest in cup history. The League has to pay heed. 

L.A. will want to clinch the final group game against the Dallas Mavericks, who are already eliminated at 1-2. Luka is not the only superstar in LA. The team is genuinely on fire with other rotational pieces like Austin Reaves hitting their career high. So, the Lakers’ chances of winning the trophy are arguably higher. They have a genuine shot at replicating or even surpassing the past success of 2023. What adds a dramatic weight to tonight’s matchup is that Anthony Davis will face his former team for the first time since the infamous trade deal ten months ago.