The Cleveland Cavaliers landed in hot water on Wednesday.
During the franchise’s home contest against the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic suffered a concerning ankle injury due to the elevated court. Some argued that Doncic shouldn’t have hopped on one leg after attempting a long-range jumper from the left wing.
However, it’s inexcusable that Cleveland’s terribly designed court played an integral role in Doncic’s injury scare (he eventually returned to the contest). According to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon, the Cavaliers’ recent decision regarding their flawed court was heavily influenced by Doncic.
“While improvements have been made to the arena floor over the years to address this issue, the NBA and the Cavaliers are revisiting the situation given the incident last night,” Vardon reported Thursday.
The Cavaliers are making the right decision, and it’s not up for debate. The last thing the 2016 NBA champions need is for a player to endure a season/career-altering injury on their floor before they finally wake up and make a change.
Cleveland dodged a bullet on Wednesday, but going forward, it’s clear the organization isn’t playing around when it comes to keeping players safe.
Doncic, who’s averaging 33.6 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game with the Lakers, is listed as questionable for Los Angeles’ Friday night contest against the Washington Wizards with right ankle soreness.
The 26-year-old isn’t expected to miss significant time on the hardwood.
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