MACAO, China — After an agonizing 600-day hiatus from NBA action, Kyrie Irving didn’t need long to prove that his signature magic remains intact. In his first game since tearing his left ACL on March 3, 2025, the nine-time All-Star wasted no time announcing his return, scoring on a reverse layup during the game’s opening possession.
That bucket set the stage for a triumphant performance as Irving led the Dallas Mavericks to a 132-115 preseason victory over the Houston Rockets in Macao, China, on Sunday.
The 34-year-old guard finished with a team-high 17 points, shooting 6-for-13 from the field in just under 22 minutes of action. He added three assists and two rebounds, moving with a fluidity that caught even his head coach by surprise.
“It was just impressive,” said Mavericks coach Dusty May during his postgame news conference. “His physical condition, his mental condition, and then—I’ve said it from the first time I watched him in a workout—he’s an artist. He’s a jazz musician. I didn’t expect him to play this well after being off so long.”
The opening play was designed specifically to help Irving shake off the rust. Reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg delivered a pass to Irving on the right wing, and the veteran guard drove baseline, finishing with a reverse layup that drew an immediate, ecstatic celebration from the Mavericks’ bench.
“Grateful that Dusty called the first play for me,” Irving said. “I was imagining how it was going to go, dreaming about how it was going to go, and I’m just glad that I got that out the way. Just incredibly grateful for my teammates as well and their support. God is truly the greatest.”
Irving, who missed the entirety of the 2025-26 season while recovering from his knee injury, looked like his former self during his limited minutes. He played eight minutes in the first quarter, over eight in the second, and a final stretch in the third before resting for the remainder of the contest.
Opposing players were quick to offer their respect. Houston guard Marcus Smart, who competed against Irving throughout the night, noted that despite the rivalry, the league is better with a talent like Irving on the floor. “You want to compete against the best,” Smart said. “He looked good, but we expected him to look good. Very happy for him.”
For a Mavericks franchise that made the NBA Finals in 2024 but missed the postseason in each of the last two years, Irving’s return serves as a massive boost. While this was only a preseason exhibition, the level of play shown by Irving suggests he remains capable of the elite production—24.7 points per game—that he provided prior to his injury.
As he prepares to head back to Dallas, Irving expressed deep gratitude for the warm reception from the Chinese crowd. “It’s definitely a lot of emotions that were going into it,” he said. “Looking forward to getting back home and continuing to carry on what we learned here.”
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