The Washington Wizards got off to a slow start in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon but made an inspiring comeback to keep the game close. Ultimately, the Nets executed better down the stretch and the Wizards lost 102-94 despite Bilal Coulibaly putting up a career-high 20 points.
Every once in a while, it feels like there's a lid on the rim, and that's how it felt for all Wizards not named Bilal Coulibaly on Sunday afternoon. It's not a sign of anything more. It's simply an off shooting day, and that's extremely normal at all levels of hoops.
The cold spell was evident from the start of the game. Brooklyn jumped out to a 30-13 lead in the first quarter and looked like they were in position to run away with things. As easy as it would've been for the Wizards to mail it in for the rest of the game, especially with another road game on Monday, they showed impressive resolve and dialed in. The offense didn't get much better, but their defensive intensity allowed them to hang around and get back in the game. At halftime, the Wizards were down 49-41.
Daniel Gafford hurt his left thumb late in the second quarter, so Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. was forced to make a lineup change to start the second half. He opted to go small, putting the 19-year-old Coulibaly in the ball game. Gafford was able to check back into the game midway through the third quarter, but the small lineup unlocked something for Washington.
Kyle Kuzma was tasked with the tough job of playing the five and he held up nicely. The Wizards used their speed and versatility to force turnovers, score in transition, and play drive-and-kick basketball. This was to the benefit of Coulibaly, who found his rhythm from deep and helped keep the offense going, playing freely in the halfcourt.
The Wizards continued to go small for the majority of the fourth quarter and took their first lead of the game on a Coulibaly two-handed flush with roughly eight minutes remaining. From that point on, both teams would go back and forth, but Mikal Bridges and the Nets were able to play relatively mistake-free down the stretch, leading the Nets to the 102-94 victory.
Deni Avdija's defense and offensive aggression were major factors in the Wizards' ability to get back in the game. Despite Avdija struggling with his deep shot (1-of-8), he was rebounding with purpose, driving to the rim, pushing in transition, and never lost confidence. He finished the game with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 38 minutes. He also only committed two fouls and two turnovers.
While Avdija was great in helping the Wizards stay alive, Coulibaly was the main story of the game. The rookie wing showed improvement in every aspect of his offensive repertoire and gave D.C. fans a lot to cheer for. He was shooting the three with confidence, playing off the bounce, and defending at an elite level. At one point, Coulibaly even took his defender off the dribble, drew the help defender, and dumped it off to Gafford for an easy layup. That play in particular showcased his already-improved ball handling, feel for the game, and passing instincts.
Coulibaly finished the contest with a career-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from deep to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 34 minutes of playing time.
"He was really good," said Unseld Jr. when asked about Coulibaly's performance. "He looks really calm out there, very confident. He's aggressive. He's got a pretty good read on 'when' and 'how.' He looks comfortable behind the three-point line, which is a bright spot... He did some really good things defensively as well."
The Wizards are back in action Monday evening in Toronto.