Expository: Richard Jefferson replies to the idea that the Cavaliers had a ‘hole’ on the court following Dru Smith’s injury.

There isn’t a single hole on the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse floor just beneath the Cleveland Cavaliers’ bench. And, no, the Cavs did not attempt to cover up the hole with a piece of white paper.

However, all of the early misinformation about Miami Heat guard Dru Smith’s season-ending injury avoids the most crucial question surrounding it. Is it really necessary for the Cavaliers to play on a court that is several feet above the natural floor of the arena? The solution appears easy, but former Cavs champion turned NBA commentator Richard Jefferson doesn’t see it that way.

After Smith, an undrafted guard who had lately fought his way into Miami’s rotation, sprained his ACL while stepping off the raised floor during Miami’s rout of the Cavs on Wednesday, Jefferson cleared the air about the alleged ‘hole’ in the Cavs’ home court.

But he pushed back on the notion that Cleveland’s raised court is an injury hazard, pointing to the “thousands of games” and “5 NBA Finals”—two of which he played in beside LeBron James in 2015 and 2016—that have taken place at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse without incident.

Erik Spoelstra, no surprise, disagrees. After Smith’s right leg slid off the Cavs’ court, ending his potentially career-changing season prematurely, the Heat’s coach called the raised surface “dangerous” and an “accident” his players have narrowly avoided on multiple occasions in past seasons.

“It’s a dangerous floor. I don’t the history of injuries here but we’ve had a couple near scares in previous years when guys are closing out in that corner,” Spoelstra said. “Thankfully, nobody’s been injured before but it’s an accident waiting to happen. You close out and all of a sudden you’re going off a cliff. It’s just so dangerous. As soon as he stayed down, we all knew that’s probably what happened.”