Kyrie Irving’s long road back ended Sunday in Macao, China, where the Dallas Mavericks guard returned from a torn ACL and scored 17 points in a 132-115 preseason win over the Houston Rockets. It marked Irving’s first game action in 586 days after tearing the ACL in his left knee on March 3, 2025, according to ESPN.
Irving shot 6 of 13 from the field, including 2 of 6 from three-point range, and added three assists, two rebounds and three free throws without a turnover in 22 minutes, per ESPN and NBA.com. Mavericks coach Dusty May drew up the opening possession for Irving, who answered with a reverse layup drive past Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr.
What Coach May And Teammates Said About The Kyrie Irving ACL Return
May said he was surprised by how well Irving performed given the layoff. “I didn’t expect him to play this well after being off for so long, just [because of] the rhythm of the game,” May said, according to ESPN. “It’s just a testament to his work.”
Mavericks guard Max Christie called Irving’s outing phenomenal and said it was fun to watch. “He’s back to being who he is,” Christie said. “He’ll only get better as he gets his rhythm back in real NBA games.”
Irving, 34, described the moment in personal terms. “A lot of emotions leading into it,” he said. “Grateful that Dusty [May] called the first play for me.
Had my mind made up just to attack.” He added that performing at a high level “felt amazing” and that he was “trying to look like myself again.”
No Formal Injury Designation, But A Cautious Build-Up
The Mavericks have not issued a specific medical designation tied to Sunday’s appearance. Irving sat out Dallas’s preseason opener on Friday as part of the team’s plan to bring him back gradually, and his calf strain in December, officially a Grade 2 strain, had interrupted his rehabilitation earlier in the offseason, according to ESPN. The 22-minute workload Sunday fits that cautious pattern, though no source detailed whether a specific minutes cap was set in advance.
Who Has Carried The Load In Irving’s Absence
With Irving out for the better part of two seasons, Dallas has leaned on its young core to fill the void. Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg shared the floor with Irving for the first time Sunday and finished with 14 points and seven assists, according to NBA.com. Flagg set up Irving for a transition layup in the second quarter and later delivered a chase-down block on Houston’s Amen Thompson that sparked a fast break Irving capped with a pull-up three. The connection between the two offers an early look at how May could pair his veteran guard with his top young scorer once the regular season begins.
Season Context: An Eight-Time All-Star Working Back To Form
Irving, an eight-time All-Star, had not played since tearing his ACL in March 2025, a span that included a full year of recovery before the calf injury slowed his return timeline further. Sunday’s box score, 17 points on 46.2% shooting, is the first competitive data point on how he looks physically since the surgery. The Mavericks have not offered a medical assessment beyond the coach’s and teammates’ in-game observations.
What’s Next For Irving And The Mavericks
Dallas opens its regular season on the road against the Rockets on Wednesday, Oct. 21. No further update on Irving’s playing time or health status has been issued beyond Sunday’s appearance, and his workload in the remaining preseason games will likely offer the next signal on his trajectory toward the opener.
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