Kyrie Irving was one of the Dallas players who talked the most to reporters Monday at the Mavericks practice facility. With opening night a little more than three weeks away, here is what the veteran entering his 15th year in the NBA had to say:

On the recovery from his broken left hand:

“It feels a lot better. Unfortunate circumstances, but also, it was much-needed in terms of being able to slow down after a long season like we had.

I was playing, you know, three days after we lost in the Finals, just because I didn’t know how to transition out of that competitive space. So I think breaking my hand actually gave me a lot of much-needed rest time.”

“It took me about eight weeks to heal. So from about the beginning of July until now, I’ve just been trying to get back and get into the swing of the rhythm basketball.”

On how he’s learned how to drive to the rim better for his longevity:

“You’re going to take some hits, and you just have to learn how to fall. I tell all the young kids out there, just learning how to fall is the key to longevity. That starts in the weight room, it starts in the little nuances of the game that I work on to help me with my balance and my core strength, and also just being mentally confident and prepared to take those hits.”

“I think, to add on to that, I’ve just become more of a two-foot jumper, as compared to a single-foot jumper, at the rim, just being able to have more options in the air off of two feet.”

On the acquisition of Klay Thompson:

“That was a big splash in the summertime. I think if you ask any of us, we feel like we got better as a team that has leadership and also experience, especially on that championship stage.”

“I’m excited that he decided to come here to commit to us for the next few years. I feel like our dreams can be possible because he’s here now, and he’s added some great value to our championship aspirations.”

“Watching guys’ faces light up when Klay makes a shot, when it’s a difficult shot for most of us, it looks easy for him. When you’re around someone that’s special at a craft and a skill set, there’s nothing like asking that person about what makes them great.”

On meshing with Thompson and Luka Doncic:

“I feel like we all have great attitudes towards one another in terms of our skill sets. We all are curious about the game and how we continue to get better, but we’re also very selfless in our approach in wanting to see each other do well and ultimately win basketball games for the team.”

“I know a lot of eyes are going to be on me, Klay and Luka, but for us, we’ve done a great job, distributing that responsibility. I’m going to be needed in different situations, Klay’s going to be needed in different situations, and Luka is going to be needed in different situations. I think we all bring a different expertise, and now, when you mesh that all together, I think this season we’ll be able to translate it into wins.”

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