DALLAS — Kyshawn George turned American Airlines Center into his personal showcase Friday night, erupting for a career-high 34 points as the Washington Wizards stormed back from 14 down to stun the Dallas Mavericks 117-107.

The second-year guard was nearly flawless, shooting 11-of-15 from the floor, 7-of-9 from deep and a perfect 5-of-5 at the line. He also added 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks — a stat line unmatched in Wizards history.

Rookie Tre Johnson chipped in 17 points in his homecoming, and Alex Sarr finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists as Washington (1-1) punished Dallas’ 21 turnovers to complete the comeback. The Wizards shot 45.6% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc, including 15 made threes.

Anthony Davis led the Mavericks (0-2) with 27 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. P.J. Washington added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Cooper Flagg delivered 18 points, six assists and five rebounds — flashing poise beyond his 18 years.

Dallas started hot, building a 35-21 lead late in the first quarter behind Davis’ inside scoring and Flagg’s early facilitation. But as quickly as the Mavericks found rhythm, they lost it. Washington’s bench — led by Johnson and Marvin Bagley III — erased the deficit with a 30-17 second quarter, taking a 58-52 lead into halftime as Dallas unraveled under mounting defensive pressure.

The Mavericks committed 13 first-half turnovers, most unforced, derailing possessions before they could develop. Jason Kidd’s squad found itself in a familiar pattern: a strong start followed by a long stretch of inconsistency.

“We’ve got to be better in that second quarter,” Kidd said postgame. “It’s kind of like what happened against San Antonio, but this time it was the whole quarter instead of the end. Turnovers hurt us, but our defense isn’t up to par. We’ve got to be better.”

By the third quarter, George had taken over. The 6-foot-8 guard scored 19 of his 34 points in the second half, splashing back-to-back threes midway through the period to push Washington ahead by double digits. Every time Dallas threatened, George responded — capped by a dagger corner three with two minutes left that sealed the win.

Flagg kept the Mavericks close with a flurry of late plays — a three-pointer followed by a soaring dunk that cut the deficit to 103-99. But missed free throws by Davis and a costly turnover opened the door for Washington to pull away.

“I think I found a little more rhythm,” Flagg said. “Offensively, we were better keeping the ball moving, but it came down to turnovers. Just silly ones we shouldn’t have thrown. That led to a lot of transition opportunities for them.”

Flagg became the second player in Mavericks history to post at least 18 points, five rebounds and six assists in one of his first two games. He’s also only the second player in NBA history under 19 years old to record at least 15-5-5 in a game, joining LeBron James.

Even with those milestones, frustration was evident in the locker room.

“It’s not great,” Flagg admitted. “I’m a competitor. I love to win. We’ve got a lot to improve.”

Davis, who has opened the season with consecutive 20-point double-doubles for the first time since 2021-22, said the team’s defensive chemistry is still developing.

“We’ve got to be better defensively,” Davis said. “Playing that big lineup, we’ve got to communicate better. When we get stops, we can run, but defensively that’s where our biggest problems are.”

Despite the loss, Davis emphasized patience and perspective.

“It’s only two games — 80 left,” he said. “You run off 10 straight, and nobody’s talking. It’s early. The NBA season’s a roller coaster, and we’re staying positive.”

Kidd echoed that sentiment but stressed the need for discipline.

“When you’re not shooting it straight and have 21 turnovers, no matter who you’re playing, you can be beat,” he said. “We can’t keep fouling shooters, and we’ve got to guard the ball better. Those are habits we’ve got to fix.”

The Mavericks shot just 43.2% from the field and 29.4% (10-of-34) from three-point range. They’ll remain at home Sunday against the Toronto Raptors, seeking their first win of the season before pressure begins to mount.

“The fans have a right to vent,” Kidd said of the boos that trickled through the arena late. “It’s a new team. We’re still learning each other. I’d say be patient, but I understand the frustration. We all want to win and compete at a high level.”

For now, the Mavericks are learning the hard way that talent alone doesn’t translate to chemistry. And until their turnovers and defensive lapses stop defining nights like this, patience might be all they have left.