Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May acknowledged Sunday that the team is still working out how its offense and rotations function with Kyrie Irving on the court, following his return from a 587-day absence.

Irving scored 17 points at The Venetian Arena as Dallas pulled away from Houston 132-115 in a preseason contest — his first appearance since sustaining a left-knee ACL tear on March 3, 2025. The outing marked the first time Irving and Cooper Flagg had shared a court together, given that Irving had been absent throughout Flagg's debut NBA season.

Flagg and Irving were both in the starting lineup alongside P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Zaccharie Risacher. With 7:13 remaining in the opening quarter and the unit trailing 10-9, May turned to his bench for the first time. Washington logged 16 minutes and 18 seconds of floor time, during which he contributed 10 points, before sitting out the remainder of the contest. Max Christie replaced another player when the third quarter got underway.

Dallas had dropped the opening game of the series on Friday, losing 135-117 in a contest where Irving was held out of the lineup.

May said offensive sets broke down on the Dallas end whenever Houston collected offensive rebounds, with players halting their movement to watch Irving rather than continuing to cut. He noted that greater off-ball movement would create larger passing lanes for Irving, and that the team performed well in transition when rebounding held up, though a tendency to surrender second-chance opportunities and stall possessions also left the offense slow to initiate its sets.

May added that teammates tend to pause and watch Irving rather than moving without the ball, and that additional cutting and off-ball activity would create wider lanes for him to operate in, while Irving himself would handle the decision-making. May described spacing, relocation patterns, and overall scheme definition as ongoing work for the group, while noting that Irving's presence opens up a range of tactical possibilities. Irving finished with 6 points on 6-of-13 shooting, three assists, and no turnovers across 21 minutes and 56 seconds.

Dallas converted 41 field goals with 28 assists attached, while transition scoring tilted heavily toward the Mavericks — 24 points to Houston's 11. The Rockets generated 21 offensive rebounds and converted those extra possessions into 27 points.

May noted that many of the lineup combinations Dallas deployed in Macao had no prior time on the floor together, and that Risacher is still finding his rhythm alongside his teammates now that Washington and Irving have joined the rotation. May said the staff had encouraged Risacher to focus on the glass, a challenge he responded to by pulling down several offensive rebounds, with May describing him as someone who reads the ball well by instinct.

May added that Irving, Washington, and Flagg are all still in the process of developing chemistry with one another on the court. He noted that while certain lineup combinations had yet to share the floor together, Irving appeared to find his footing as the contest progressed — particularly in the second half of both games, where he moved through the offense with greater ease. May said familiarity with the team's terminology, schemes, and personnel would continue to build over time, with improvement expected as the season advances.

Irving departed the game with 6:32 remaining in the third quarter, the score standing at 74-74. With Olivier-Maxence Prosper de Larrea on the floor for Dallas, the Mavericks outscored Houston 21-11 before the quarter came to a close. De Larrea finished with a plus-34 rating, while Powell posted a plus-14. Irving's playing time ended when the fourth quarter began.

Irving noted that the squad had yet to face any real test of its chemistry and said he was holding off on drawing firm conclusions until that moment arrived, while adding that the group's overall dynamic felt genuinely positive. He pointed out that the group's cohesion had been visible to those paying close attention, while also noting that no real tests had come their way yet as a reason for withholding firm conclusions, even as the players were drawing satisfaction from what they were putting together.

Irving noted that practice sessions keep the whole roster in constant dialogue, with teammates turning to one another for input, and that a number of athletes on the squad still have points to prove. He expressed that competing alongside his teammates was something he welcomed, describing himself and Flagg as two contributors within a broader collective, and noted that the group's tendency to share the ball — even when the offense was still finding its rhythm — was preferable to any single player dominating possession. Irving added that the roster was filled with individuals who prioritised the team's needs over personal statistics and that the process of learning from one another remained ongoing.

May noted that, with the season still in its opening stretch, the team deserved recognition for making the trip to China. Flagg finished the night with 14 points, four rebounds, and a game-leading seven assists.

Max Christie said the combined attention Irving and Flagg draw from opponents figures to open up the floor for their teammates, adding that watching the two share a court together for the first time had been a worthwhile moment. Christie expressed the view that having those two players on the court would draw defenders toward them and open up space for their teammates.

May described the roster as a blend of seasoned athletes who have faced adversity alongside younger players working to carve out their roles, adding that the combination gives the team a depth he views as an asset. May noted that the roster carries younger players who still need to add physical strength alongside veterans whose experience the team will rely on to bring those developing players along — a balance Dallas will need to strike as the group works toward its potential. The Mavericks are scheduled to host the New Orleans Pelicans at American Airlines Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT before closing out the preseason against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday at the same time.