Is Kyrie Irving playing today’s game? Latest status on Dallas Mavericks guard before preseason game against Rockets

Kyrie Irving will play in one of the two preseason games Dallas has against the Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena in Macao, but the Mavericks have not said which one. Coach Dusty May confirmed the split on Thursday and left the choice open. Friday’s game is the first chance, and Sunday’s is the other. Irving has not played in a game since March 3, 2025, when he tore his left ACL. Dallas went 26-56 in 2025-26 without him. A full availability report is due before Friday’s tipoff, so the answer should come soon.Is Kyrie Irving playing tonight against the Rockets?Yes, in one game but not both. The opener is Friday at 7 a.m. CST, and Sunday’s rematch tips at 5 a.m. CST. Irving was cleared for the trip with no restrictions, so the split is about workload, not health. Christian Clark of The Athletic reported May also plans to use a limited roster in both games. He's now in Macao.The nine-time All-Star is 34 and coming off a long layoff. A grade 2 calf strain in December cost him about eight weeks and pushed the timeline back further. Two games in three days is a lot for a first outing in 19 months, which is why one appearance makes sense. For viewers in Dallas, Friday is the friendlier hour. Whichever game he plays, fans will get a first live look at Irving next to teenager Cooper Flagg.Dereck Lively II is still recovering from December surgery on his right foot, and Santi Aldama has been limited since camp opened after a March procedure and injection on his right knee. No. 9 pick Morez Johnson Jr. dealt with lower leg soreness but is expected to play Friday, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. He played only two Summer League games, averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 3.0 blocks. Daniel Gafford and Moussa Cisse are the two big men who have stayed healthy. Further updates from the team will determine Irving’s availability.What has Irving said about the ACL tear and coming home?He also looked back on the ACL tear in an unusual way. Irving has called it the best thing that happened to him, saying the break let him spend more time with his family and address parts of his body he had overlooked. He does not want to miss that much time again, he added, and he credited a support system through some rocky stretches.Thursday gave him a chance to thank fans for 19 months of patience. “I want to hear them yell,” he said. Dallas acquired him in a February 2023 trade, and he won the 2016 title with Cleveland. The team returns home after Sunday’s game, and he sees the preseason games on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16 as a way to ease back in front of the crowd. The regular season opens Oct. 21 at Houston.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.