Kyrie Irving returns from 20-month injury layoff with vintage display in Macau

Kyrie Irving waited nearly 600 days for his return to the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks didn’t keep him waiting any longer for his welcome-back basket.

Irving scored a reverse layup on the game’s opening possession on Sunday night, setting the tone for a team-high 17 points in the Mavericks’ 132-115 pre-season win over the Houston Rockets in Macau.

It was Irving’s first game action since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on 3 March 2025.

“It was just impressive,” Dallas coach Dusty May told reporters at a postgame press 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.”

Irving shot six for 13 in just under 22 minutes, adding three assists and two rebounds. Dallas won the opening tip, and reigning rookie of the year Cooper Flagg set up Irving on the right wing. Irving didn’t hesitate, driving towards the baseline before scoring with a reverse layup.

The Mavericks’ bench immediately erupted in celebration, while the roar of the crowd in China – where the Rockets are among the most popular teams, largely because of Chinese superstar, former Houston great and Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming – was noticeable as well.

“Grateful that Dusty called the first play for me,” Irving said. “Had my mind made up, just to attack. ... I was imagining how it was going to go, dreaming about how it was going to go and just glad that I got that out the way. Just incredibly grateful for my teammates as well and their support and just seeing them rise up off the bench to celebrate me as well, that always feels good. And God is truly the greatest. So just being able to perform at a high level, that felt amazing.”