Kyrie Irving Scores 17 in Emotional Return as Mavericks Beat Rockets in Macao

Kyrie Irving’s long road back from a torn left ACL finally reached the court Sunday in Macao. Playing his first game since March 3, 2025, the Dallas Mavericks guard scored 17 points in 22 minutes as Dallas beat the Houston Rockets 132-115 to split the two-game NBA China series. Irving attacked immediately, scoring on a reverse layup seconds into the game, and finished 6-of-13 from the field, 2-of-6 from three and 3-of-3 at the line while adding three assists and two rebounds.

The performance mattered far more than the preseason result. Irving had not appeared in an NBA game in roughly 19 months after undergoing ACL reconstruction and missing the entire 2025-26 season. He scored 14 points before halftime and showed flashes of the change-of-direction, touch and shot creation that made him a nine-time All-Star. Afterward, Irving described feeling plenty of emotion leading into the return and said he was grateful Dallas called the first play for him.

For the Mavericks, a healthy Irving changes the structure of an offense now built around a different generation. Cooper Flagg can develop without carrying every possession, while Irving gives new coach Dusty May a proven half-court creator when games tighten. One preseason appearance cannot settle the durability question, but 17 points with no reported setback is about as encouraging a first step as Dallas could have requested.