The Orlando Magic will have their usual home court in place for Tuesday’s NBA Cup game against the Miami Heat. Josh Robbins / The Athletics
The Athletic covers the match live Quarterfinals of the 2025 NBA Cup.
ORLANDO, Fla. — One of the identifying features of any NBA Cup game in the in-season tournament’s three years has been the court surfaces themselves: personalized designs, often in garish colorswhich feature a representation of the tournament trophy on center court.
However, you won’t see a custom court when the Orlando Magic host the Miami Heat in the quarterfinal opener Tuesday night at the Kia Center.
The reason the Magic’s NBA Cup court, which features gray gradients and the franchise’s well-known stars, won’t be used Tuesday is because it “was damaged in storage,” said Joel Glass, Magic director of communications. Athletics. Glass added that team officials said enough damage had occurred that they didn’t feel comfortable using the field tonight.
Instead, the Magic are using their usual main court, which debuted this season as part of an overall new look for the franchise.
An image of the Orlando Magic’s NBA Cup court. (Courtesy of NBA)
NBA Cup courts became newsworthy during the tournament’s group stage when Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić complained that the Lakers’ yellow NBA Cup court for the Nov. 25 group stage game at Crypto.com Arena was “dangerous.”
“I slipped several times” Doncic said after this match. “And you could see a lot of players slipping. And it’s dangerous.”
