Kyrie Irving Cleared With No Restrictions for Mavs' Macao Games vs. Houston

 

Mavs fans, circle Friday morning — set the alarm early, because Kyrie is cleared.

Nearly 19 months after tearing his left ACL, Kyrie Irving is cleared to play in the NBA China Games in Macao with no restrictions, ANTA told Dallas Sports Journal's Grant Afseth. Irving last played March 3, 2025, and missed all of 2025-26 as Dallas went 24-52. Hoops Nightly notes he moved from day-to-day to cleared on Monday's injury report, while Dereck Lively II (right foot), Santi Aldama and Morez Johnson Jr. (lower leg) stay day-to-day with an Oct. 9 target.

Dusty May, who had never coached him before camp, said, "He played well. He was engaged." P.J. Washington put it simply: "His gravity is one of a kind." Irving, 34 and entering his 16th season, shares a backcourt with reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg for the first time. RotoWire, via CBS Sports, expects his preseason minutes to be monitored.

Follow the Dallas Mavericks: Houston in Macao on Friday at 6:30 a.m. CT and Sunday at 4:30 a.m. CT, both on NBA TV, before the Oct. 21 opener at Houston. Radio question — how many minutes would you give Kyrie in an exhibition?

Sources: Dallas Sports Journal — Irving cleared; Hoops Nightly — Irving cleared on injury report; CBS Sports/RotoWire — Will play in preseason; Hoops Nightly — Day-to-day group.