Welcome back, Kyrie: Irving scores 17 for Mavs in China

AP: Kyrie Irving waited nearly 600 days for his return to the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks didn’t keep him waiting any longer for his welcome-back basket. Irving got a reverse layup on the game’s opening possession last night, setting the tone for him scoring a team-high 17 points in the Mavericks’ 132-115 preseason win over the Houston Rockets in Macao, China. It was Irving’s first game action since he tore the ACL in his left knee on March 3, 2025.