Why are Dallas Mavericks not using In-Season Tournament court vs Clippers?

The Dallas Mavericks are in NBA in-season tournament action Friday, but their game will look a little different. Due to certain issues, they will be forced to play on their normal floor.

Before the NBA in-season tournament began, each team revealed a special themed court they'd play on for those games. This was one of the many things implemented to spice up the tournament's first year. However, this will not be the case when the Dallas Mavericks take on the LA Clippers on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, reports emerged that the Mavericks won't have their tournament-themed court. An NBA spokesperson released a statement, stating it had to do with manufacturing issues.

“The Mavericks will play tonight’s game on their core court due to a manufacturing issue with the team’s In-Season Tournament court.”

Despite this problem, Luka Doncic and the Mavs will still play host to James Harden and the new-look Clippers. This will be the second group play round matchup for Dallas, but the first for LA. In their first game of the tournament, the Mavericks were handed a loss at the hands of Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

---

Why do NBA teams have different courts for the in-season tournament?

One of the main reasons why the NBA implemented different courts for the in-season tournament is to do something they've never done before. This year marks the first time in league history that all 30 teams will have an alternate court.

For some franchises, it'll be the first time they have ever had any form of alternate. In this group includes the Boston Celtics, LA Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers.

The league went all out to provide a larger-than-life design for the tournament. However, there have been some mixed reviews from fans. Due to all the colors clashing with the court and jerseys, it's led to an awkward viewing experience at times.

The focal point of these designs takes place at center court. Each team has their name plastered over the newest trophy they'll be competing for. An outline of the trophy is also located in the lane on each end of the floor.

Overall, the designs add a different vibe to the games being played. While they still count towards the regular season, it adds more to the spectacle that is the tournament itself. These designs will be seen weekly from now until the tournament wraps up in Las Vegas on December 9th.