Kyrie Irving Returns After 600 Days: How His Comeback in Macau Played Out

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Kyrie Irving Returns After 600 Days: How His Comeback in Macau Played Out.

After nearly 600 days without an NBA game, Kyrie Irving is back on the court – and delivered right away. In the Dallas Mavericks' 132-115 pre-season win over the Houston Rockets in Macau on Sunday evening, the guard scored 17 points, the most on the team. The game was his first after 20 months out with a torn ACL.

If you've followed the Mavericks over the last season and beyond, you know what this moment means. Without Irving, Dallas lacked a playmaker who can create his own shot. That he returned in Macau of all places – not in Dallas, not in Houston, but in the Chinese special administrative region – makes the story even more special.

No warm-up needed: the first possession

Irving needed no ramp-up time. On the first offensive play of the game, he got the ball near the basket, spun, and finished a reverse layup – exactly the kind of move he's been famous for for over a decade. It was his first NBA point in nearly 600 days.

In the end, he had 17 points, team-high. The 132-115 score shows: Dallas won without him, but with him the team is undeniably better. The appearance in Macau was more than an exhibition game – it was the answer to the question that has weighed on Dallas fans since the day of the injury: Is Kyrie still the old Kyrie?

Dusty May hails nine-time All-Star as an 'artist'

"Artist" – what Mavericks Coach May means

Coach Dusty May called the nine-time All-Star an "artist" after the game. It sounds like a cliché, but with Irving it should be taken literally: the guard is one of the most creative ball-handlers in the league, a player who does things with the basketball that others wouldn't even think to plan.

At the same time, May knows a pre-season win is no guarantee. Irving needs to accumulate playing time and get his knee used to the rhythm of NBA games. The real test comes with the regular season – not in Macau.

What this means for Dallas

With Irving back, the Mavericks have their key player available for the first time in 20 months. That gives Coach May options he's lacked throughout the pre-season. Whether Irving starts from day one or is eased in carefully remains to be seen. The 17 points on Sunday evening speak for themselves, though.