Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is ready to play his first game in 19 months, targeting a return in the NBA China Games in Macau. The nine-time All-Star has been sidelined since tearing his ACL in March 2025, a period that saw the Mavericks miss the playoffs last season after finishing 12th in the West.
Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL in the first quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings in March 2025. He stayed on the court to sink two free throws before exiting. The injury forced him to miss the final 20 games of the 2024-25 season, a campaign where he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 50 appearances. He then sat out the entire 2025-26 season.
Now 34, Irving told reporters his conditioning is progressing well. "I feel great," Irving said ahead of a preseason game against the Houston Rockets. He emphasized the difference between practice and real games, noting that the game's intensity can't be replicated. Irving is excited to test his instincts and proprioception at a high level again.
The Mavericks' roster looks vastly different since Irving last played. The franchise executed a blockbuster trade in February 2025, sending Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The team is now building around reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
First-year head coach Dusty May, who won a national title at Michigan, is now leading the team. The 19-year-old Flagg expressed excitement about sharing the court with Irving. "I'm really excited to be able to share the court with Kyrie. He's obviously a special, special player," Flagg said. This new era follows a tough 2025-26 season where the team's recent form was 1 win and 4 losses in its last five games, including a 149-128 victory over the Chicago Bulls on April 13, 2026.
Irving's immediate focus is the preseason schedule. The Mavericks face the Houston Rockets twice in Macau, with games scheduled for Friday and Sunday. These contests will be critical for Irving to regain his rhythm and for Coach May to finalize rotations.
The team's last official result was a high-scoring 149-128 win over the Chicago Bulls to close the previous season. Before that, they endured a difficult stretch with losses to the Phoenix Suns (112-107), Milwaukee Bucks (123-99), Golden State Warriors (137-131) and New Orleans Pelicans (129-111). Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming matchups on the official schedule page.
Irving's return adds a veteran scoring punch to a young core. His ability to create shots and handle the ball will be vital for a team looking to climb the Western Conference standings. The preseason games in China offer the first glimpse of this new-look Mavericks squad in action.
