Mavs' Dusty May Scouts 'Artist' Kyrie Irving Debut

Kyrie Irving made his Dallas Mavericks debut in the 2026-27 preseason last week after over a year and a half healing the torn ACL that cut his 2024-25 season short and forfeited the entire next year.

The nine-time All-Star point guard scored 17 points in 22 minutes as the Mavs beat the Houston Rockets 132-115, splitting the two-game series between the two teams in Macao, China.

READ MORE: 5 Takeaways From Mavs Preseason Win Over Rockets in Macao

It was a sight for sore eyes for MFFLs, but for new head coach Dusty May, Irving's return presented a first-time, live-action look at how the 34-year-old can impact the team this season.

"It’s just impressive, his physical condition and his mental condition," May said of Irving, who, in typical Kyrie fashion, scored his first basket on a nifty baseline reverse layup.

"He’s an artist, a jazz musician; to see the way he sees the game, thinks the game," May added. "I didn’t expect him to play this well. It’s a testament to his work."

It was clear that Irving's teammates saw their play elevate with the veteran floor general in command of the offense. Five other Mavericks scored in double figures, including reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg with 14 points and seven assists in his first official game next to Irving.

"I think guys like he and Coop, their gravity, the leverage they provide, makes everyone else exponentially better," May said. "Every single player on our roster we put on the floor with those guys have better opportunities."

When it comes to Flagg and Irving, the latter sees value in their partnership, despite the national perspective claiming that their age gap creates tension or a lack of chemistry.

"And my first few years in the league were pretty tough on me in terms of losing and not having necessary pieces," Irving said, resonating with Flagg's debut season ending in a playoff absence. "Or even only to say the necessary pieces, even for me, just having the IQ of the game that’s necessary to be able to lead a franchise. So I struggled in certain areas. I needed veteran leadership. We were a young team. I felt like we were good enough to make a few playoff runs, but we just didn’t."

"So now that I’m in this seat, a little bit older, and I’m seeing this teenager, I won’t call him a kid, even though he plays beyond his years," Irving added. "I think he’s displaying in front of you guys what he’s capable of, and he’s only gonna continue to get better."

READ MORE: Insider Calls Out NBA's Major Cooper Flagg Mavs Mistake

Dallas used a 21-3 run in the first half to build an advantage over a Houston squad that chose to sit Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun. Regardless of the competition, Irving found significance in his return.

"A lot of emotions. I’m grateful Dusty called the first play for me," Irving said. "I had my mind made up to attack. I saw Jabari [Smith Jr.] 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."

The Mavericks return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday in their second-to-last preseason game.

The regular season begins with Dallas facing Houston again, but this time at Toyota Center, on Oct. 21.