Kyrie Irving makes his long-awaited return

After more than 19 months away from the court, Kyrie Irving finally made his highly anticipated comeback during the Dallas Mavericks' 132-115 preseason victory over the Houston Rockets at the NBA China Games in Macao.

The nine-time NBA All-Star had been sidelined since March 2025 after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee, an injury that forced him to miss the entire 2025/26 season.

Despite spending 587 days away from competitive basketball, Irving showed little sign of rust. The 34-year-old opened the game with a signature reverse layup before finishing with a team-high 17 points, three assists and two rebounds in just under 22 minutes.

The matchup also marked Irving's first appearance alongside rising star Cooper Flagg, offering an exciting glimpse of the Mavericks' new offensive partnership. Flagg contributed 14 points and seven assists as Dallas secured a convincing victory.

Beyond the numbers, Irving's return represented an emotional milestone for a player widely regarded as one of the most gifted ball handlers in NBA history.

With the 2026/27 NBA season approaching, Dallas welcomes back one of its most important players, hoping his experience, creativity and scoring ability can help the franchise return to contention.

After nearly 600 days of waiting, Kyrie Irving is finally back.