D allas has a lineup that could be a threat to anyone in the West, especially by the time they gel for the playoffs: Anthony Davis, No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford. However, it only comes together if Kyrie Irving is playing point guard.

Point guard Kyrie Irving offered a response rooted in patience to a question about whether he would return from his ACL tear in time for the playoffs.

The Dallas Mavericks have been outwardly optimistic about the potential for Kyrie Irving to return to action on the early side of the typical recovery timeline that comes with an ACL tear. The veteran point guard,