Kyrie Irving needed only one possession to announce himself back in a Mavericks uniform.
In his first game in more than 19 months, the nine-time All-Star opened Dallas’ 132-115 win over Houston on Sunday by taking the first play and finishing a reverse layup over Jabari Smith Jr. Irving had missed all of last season after tearing his left ACL, but the comeback moment came quickly and cleanly.
“A lot of emotions,” Irving said. “I’m grateful Dusty called the first play for me.
I had my mind made up to attack. I saw Jabari switch, so I was just trying to take advantage of the matchup.
It felt good to get that out of the way. I was dreaming about how that would go.
Just being able to perform at a high level felt amazing.”
Irving finished with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, along with three assists and two rebounds in 22 minutes. He’s set to make $39.5MM this season and holds a $42.4MM player option for 2027/28.
Head coach Dusty May came away impressed by more than the box score.
“It’s just impressive, his physical condition and his mental condition,” May said. “And then, he’s an artist, a jazz musician, to see the way he sees the game, thinks the game.
I didn’t expect him to play this well. It’s a testament to his work.
“I think guys like he and Coop [Cooper Flagg], their gravity, the leverage they provide, makes everyone else exponentially better. Every single player on our roster we put on the floor with those guys have better opportunities.”
Flagg has already given Dallas plenty to like, too. The reigning Rookie of the Year and No. 1 pick in last year’s draft followed up a strong preseason opener Friday with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 19 minutes.
After that game, May said, “When the lights are on, he moves differently,” adding, “That’s something you don’t ever know until you experience it. His potential is through the roof.”
Irving sounded eager about what Flagg brings to the mix. When asked to compare Flagg’s upside with his past pairings alongside LeBron James and Kevin Durant, Irving drew a careful line.
“They’re on their own separate categories and trajectories,” Irving said. “I will say this: I think Coop falls in line with having that competitive nature at a very young age.
To be able to lead a team, to be able to be on a great team … And I love that he’s a two-way player. I love that he cares about using his voice as he’s growing into year two.”
Another young Maverick drawing praise is rookie Sergio de Larrea. May said the Spanish guard has stood out early in preseason and has shown a different gear when games start counting.
“He’s been incredibly valuable,” May said. “Anyone that watched him in Summer League could see that he’s a gamer.
When the lights were on, I said that about Coop, he’s similar. He looks more attentive, he looks more in the flow of the game than he does in practice, and he practices well.
But yeah, his competitive spirit, he has the factor. I mean, he’s someone that can impact the game in a lot of ways.
Being a young guy, there’s still some deficiencies there, and he’s attacking them daily. But yeah, we’ve been very, very pleased with him, especially when the lights are on.”
Through two preseason games, de Larrea has averaged 10 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 23 minutes per game.
Dallas also got a look at its center rotation with Dereck Lively II still working back from foot surgery and lottery pick Morez Johnson Jr. resting. May started Daniel Gafford at center against Houston, while Dwight Powell handled most of the backup minutes ahead of Moussa Cisse.
After the game, May explained why Powell remains a trusted option.
“When you watch the game, it’s fairly obvious his ability to connect and keep the group organized,” May said. “When you look at the age of our second unit, Sergio and Max [Christie] and all these young guys, it just gives us another pressure release and outlet.
He generates great looks. He’s a very smart veteran basketball player.
So there are a number of different components to the development of young players. Putting him out there with guys who (he) is trying to assist them, make them better, screen well for them.
It’s just a decision where we felt like we are playing well with him on the floor.”
Powell and Cisse could be battling for the 15th roster spot, with the Mavericks carrying 16 players on standard deals entering opening night.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg Is Giving Mavs Fans A New Reason To Feel Overlooked
ESPNs Brian Windhorst is already sounding like a believer in Cooper Flagg, and for Mavericks fans, that should feel like both validation and frustration. Flaggs rookie season gave Dallas plenty to hang onto, with the young forward leading the team in multiple statistical categories and looking like the kind of player who can anchor the franchises next era.
What Windhorst pointed out, though, is that the national spotlight still hasnt caught up to what Flagg is doing. He suggested the leagues television choices continue to lean toward established stars and bigger markets, which helps explain why Dallas is getting less national attention than its talent level might warrant. For a team trying to build around a rapidly rising rookie, that kind of oversight only adds to the sense that the rest of the league may be late to the party. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Powell Is Forcing A Mavericks Decision They Didn't Expect
Dwight Powells return has quietly become one of the more interesting camp stories for Dallas. The veteran signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal for the 2026-26 NBA season, and he has already logged meaningful preseason minutes while drawing praise from head coach Dusty May for the way he has steadied the group and helped bring younger players along.
What makes the situation tricky is that Powell is not just filling a short-term role. If he earns a roster spot, Dallas could find itself weighing a move it probably did not expect this early, especially with roster space always at a premium and room for veteran holdovers never guaranteed. For a player brought back to provide stability, Powell may end up forcing the Mavericks into a decision about how much they value that presence versus the flexibility they still need elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irving Update Has Mavericks Fans Eyeing A Very Different Season
There was already a little buzz around Kyrie Irving when he flashed in preseason, looking sharp enough to remind everyone why Dallas has spent so much time thinking about what his presence can mean. In the game against Houston in China, he put up 17 points in 17 minutes, a tidy glimpse of the scoring burst and pace that can change the feel of a Mavericks lineup in a hurry.
The bigger picture around him is still taking shape, though, and it has a lot to do with how the organization views his next chapter. The Mavericks see a path where Irving is not only back on the floor, but also helping steer younger teammates through the daily grind of a season, with his return carrying the potential to alter the teams ceiling in a way that felt far off not long ago. [Read more 🡒]