Holder this season, Bilal Coulibaly is becoming more and more important in the Wizards' game, and he is no longer just the man for defensive missions. This night, he scored 11 of his 17 points in the last quarter, but it was also he who hindered Trae Young on the equalization attempt. In fact, the French guard/winger ruined the All-Star leader's evening, limited to 2 out of 15 on shots!
“Tonight, I really felt like I was making them miss their shots” explains Bilal Coulibaly. “Seeing him get a little frustrated made me realize I was doing a good job.”
A reporter asks him what he saw the Hawks getting frustrated with? “They talked more to the referees” replies the Frenchman.
On the other side of the field, Bilal Coulibaly has gained momentum. After taking only two shots in the first half, he proved to be Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma's best lieutenant after the break, to the point of scoring 15 of his 17 points in the second half. His only 3-point basket allows the Wizards to tie a franchise record with 21 successes from distance.
16 points on average after three matches
“I proved to the coaches that I could go to the rim, take a shot off the dribble, and everything else. The coaches saw it, and now they believe in me” the Frenchman explained about his risk-taking in attack. “Coach Keefe saw it, and he thought I could do it. He then gave me a lot more responsibility. »
The proof in figures with an average of 16 points, 12 and 14 shots taken against the Celtics and the Hawks, and an average of eight drives per game.
All while always taking care of the opponent's best exterior, whether it's Donovan Mitchell or Trae Young. And this will still be the case on Wednesday since the Wizards will already meet the Hawks.