Kyshawn George scored a career-high 34 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Washington Wizards (1-1) past the Dallas Mavericks (0-2) 117-107 on Friday night.
George was 11 of 15 from the field and 7 of 9 from three-point range, including a clutch corner three to extend Washington’s lead to 113-103 with two minutes remaining.
No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg sparked a second-half rally for Dallas, scoring nine consecutive points in the fourth quarter and finishing with 18 points, but turnovers and missed opportunities kept the Mavericks from closing the gap.
Anthony Davis led the Mavericks with 27 points and 13 rebounds, yet struggled at the rim and missed two critical free throws with five minutes left that could have brought Dallas within two points.
The Wizards held a 17-point lead entering the fourth quarter before Dallas mounted its comeback, but turnovers—including five by Flagg and eight by P.J. Washington Jr.—hindered the Mavericks’ efforts. P.J. Washington finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Rookie Tre Johnson contributed 17 points, scoring 10 in the second quarter, helping Washington maintain control through the middle quarters. CJ McCollum added 14 points and five assists, supporting George’s standout performance.
The Mavericks’ rookies struggled under pressure, with turnovers and missed shots offsetting the contributions from Flagg and Davis. Despite Flagg hitting the first three-pointer and first dunk of his career, Dallas could not sustain momentum.
The Wizards will host Charlotte in their home opener on Sunday, while the Mavericks continue their five-game homestand against Toronto, also on Sunday.
