Kyrie Irving returned to the floor after a 586-day absence, scoring 17 points in 22 minutes to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 132-115 preseason victory over the Houston Rockets at the Venetian Arena in Macao, China. The matchup marked a swift turnaround for Dallas, which dropped a lopsided contest to Houston 48 hours earlier while Irving watched from the sidelines.
Irving Returns After ACL Recovery in Macao
Irving stepped back onto an NBA court for the first time since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on March 3, 2025. It took the 34-year-old guard just 14 seconds to score his first basket of the night, driving hard to the rim to open the scoring. He followed with a late-clock three-pointer after an offensive rebound, finishing the first half with 14 points before logging a total of 17 points over 22 minutes.
The game served as a high-profile showcase for the league in the Venetian Arena on the island of Taipa. Local spectators, chanting “MVP” from the stands, watched Irving seamlessly mesh with rookie teammate Cooper Flagg, orchestrating an offense that erased memories of Friday’s 48-hour-old defeat to the same Rockets squad.
Mavericks Coach and Opponents React to the Guard’s Comeback
Dallas head coach Dusty May, making his debut on the NBA sideline, struggled to contain his enthusiasm when describing Irving’s performance to reporters after the final buzzer. May compared the veteran playmaker to a jazz musician, praising his unique feel for the game in his first action in over a wave of 18 months. Irving himself took the podium half an hour late for his post-game media session, reflecting on the milestone.
“I’d dreamed it, imagined that first basket so much,” Irving told reporters. “It was a play drawn up for me, it was nice to see the joy of my teammates celebrating.”
Across the floor, Houston head coach Ime Udoka and guard Marcus Smart acknowledged the difficulty of facing a fully operational Irving.
Roster Shuffling and Preseason Rotations Shape the Contest
Dallas opened the evening with a starting lineup featuring Irving, Zaccharie Risacher, P.J. Washington, Cooper Flagg, and Daniel Gafford. Houston countered with Smart, Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Clint Capela, while resting star forward Kevin Durant and center Alperen Şengün.
The contest offered early glimpses of contrasting trajectories for high-profile acquisitions. Flagg flashed his athleticism by stealing a pass from Smart for an open dunk, anchoring a Dallas side that led 28-27 after the first quarter and 58-51 at halftime. Smith paced Houston with eight early points, while Reed Sheppard displayed perimeter shooting ability alongside growing pains as a floor general. Zaccharie Risacher struggled to find consistent footing, playing through physical and developmental adjustments.
As the second half progressed, both benches cleared with the score standing at 95-85 in favor of Dallas entering the final frame. The Mavericks coasted through the fourth quarter to secure the 132-115 win, but the primary takeaway centered on Irving’s successful return to full-contact competition ahead of the league’s regular-season tip-off.
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