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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FRISCO — DeMarcus Lawrence had his leg resting on a scooter and took off for the training room the moment reporters entered the locker room.

Micah Parsons wasn’t as quick. He was sitting in front of his locker, putting on a protective boot for his high ankle sprain, when he was surrounded.

“Yeah, it’s time to man up,” Parsons said. “For sure.

“I’m very confident in these guys.”

Next man up is a phrase uttered in every NFL locker room once a player goes down. Losing players to injury over the course of a season is inevitable.

But compensating for the absences of Parsons and Lawrence is a big ask for this Dallas defense.

Parsons is one of the league’s elite pass rushers. His injury typically takes two to four weeks. Mike McCarthy said the Cowboys are preparing to face Pittsburgh this weekend without their best defensive player.

Lawrence will be out even longer. The veteran defensive end suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot. It won’t require surgery, but several people with knowledge of Lawrence’s status put the timetable for his return at four to eight weeks, with the back of that range the more likely target.

Dallas will place Lawrence on injured reserve in the coming days, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games, a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking told The Dallas Morning News. Discussions are ongoing, but the plan for now is to elevate defensive end Carl Lawson from the practice squad for Sunday’s game and bring in several players for a workout.

None come close to what Parsons and Lawrence bring to this defense.

“Those are two dynamic guys,” defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said. “Good leaders, good team guys.

“We’ll have to make some adjustments and see how it goes.”

Parsons is a focal point for every opponent. Accounting for where he lines up and how to neutralize him is where the offensive game plan starts.

The Steelers won’t have that concern. There’s no one player the Cowboys can plug into his hybrid role. Zimmer said he will just have to figure out how he intends to use other players and come up with a plan that plays to their strengths.

It will be a collective effort, not an individual one.

“That’s it,” McCarthy said. “It’s not like you take one player and put him in and give him the exact same responsibility in reps that Micah had or what D-Law had. It’s going to be a combination of things.

“You let the game plan bring that to light.”

The injuries open the door for rookie Marshawn Kneeland and veteran Chauncey Golston to move into the starting lineup.

The Cowboys took Kneeland in the second round to be Lawrence’s heir apparent. It turns out his time is sooner than later.

The Western Michigan defensive lineman has gotten off to a good start. But he’ll get even more snaps now.

“He’s a hard playing dude, likes to get physical,” Zimmer said. “He’s very coachable and soaks up a lot of the coaching.

“He’s a really good guy. I’m glad we got him.”

Parsons talked to Kneeland on Friday and told the rookie he was going to need to step up until he was able to return. Kneeland took it the wrong way, thinking that Parsons was questioning whether or not he was ready for the added responsibility.

“You don’t understand,” Parsons responded. “When I say step up I don’t mean just playing.

“Like you got to lead now. You lost your two veterans. You got to lead, you got to carry these guys. You got to communicate, talk to them, like bring these other guys with you.

“You’ve got to be the guy for us.”

Golston has bounced from inside to outside in his four years with the Cowboys. In the words of McCarthy, the defensive lineman has worn a lot of hats.

He’s a defensive end now. Golston has played the run well from that spot but his pass rush has been limited.

“He’s going to get some more playing time and get more opportunities in the passing game,” Zimmer said.

Golston has just 4.5 sacks for his career. One of those came this season. Parsons said his teammate reminds him of former NFL defensive end Cameron Wake in terms of his build and wingspan.

“With his length and ability and the way he can pass rush, being able to utilize it, I think he can be very, very, very good,” Parsons said.

“Those long arms, the things he is able to do with them, he’s going to be very good. I’m excited to see how he performs.

“He’s always talking about waiting for his opportunity. He’s got one one. I’m waiting to see it.”

Lawson will be part of the rotation on the outside along with Tyrus Wheat. Since Lawson will be out of elevations after Sunday’s game, he’ll need to be placed on the active roster going forward. That leaves a spot on the practice squad to bring in another player.

But replacing Parsons and Lawrence? That won’t happen.

“Those guys are the motor,” cornerback Jourdan Lewis said. “They make this thing go. Especially when we’ve got guys that make players like that. It’s contagious how they play.

“It’s definitely hard and we’re gonna have to find ways to supplement that because there’s no way you can replace it. So you gotta go out there and find ways to attack offenses you know, without those guys.”

Catch David Moore and Robert Wilonsky as they co-host Intentional Grounding on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. through the Super Bowl.

X/Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN

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I was born and raised in Dallas. I went to W.T. White HS and graduated from SMU in 2015. I covered high school sports for The Conroe Courier (2015-2017) before joining the Houston Chronicle’s digital team as a sports producer. I’ve been at The News since 2019 and have been the Assistant Online Sports Editor since February 2023.