KYRIE IRVING SCORES 17 POINTS IN RETURN FROM ACL INJURY

Kyrie Irving returned to competitive basketball on 11 October 2026, scoring a team-high 17 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 132-115 in a pre-season game in Macao. It was Irving's first appearance since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on 3 March 2025, an absence reports put at between 20 months and nearly 600 days. Dallas won the opening tip, and Cooper Flagg set up Irving on the right wing, where he drove to the baseline and scored with a reverse layup on the game's first possession. Irving shot six from 13 attempts in just under 22 minutes, adding three assists and two rebounds without recording a turnover, according to game statistics. Mavericks coach Dusty May said he had called the opening play for Irving, and the Mavericks' bench celebrated as the shot went in.

Irving said he had made up his mind to attack from the first play and described himself as grateful to Dusty May for calling it for him. He said he had imagined and dreamed about how his return would go, and thanked his teammates for their support. May told reporters after the game that Irving's physical and mental condition had impressed him, calling the nine-time All-Star "an artist" and "a jazz musician", and said he had not expected Irving to play so well after such a long layoff. The crowd in Macau responded strongly to the Rockets' presence, which organisers linked to the team's popularity in China due to Chinese former NBA player Yao Ming.

The pre-season outing marked a milestone in Irving's recovery, though his coaching staff still needs to assess how he copes with heavier minutes and a full regular-season schedule. Commentators drew a comparison with Klay Thompson's return for the Golden State Warriors in January 2022 after 941 days out with knee and Achilles injuries, in which Thompson also scored on his first touch against his coach's instructions. No further details on Irving's upcoming schedule were given in the reports.