Spurs 131, Wizards 127
Q. What was it like to play in a game against Victor?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, it was a fun time. Just happy for each other. We grew up together, playing again when we were like 12, and now we're playing in the league against each other. But yeah, we just loved the moment, and can't wait to win that next game.
Q. You're a pest on defense. Offensively what goals have you set for yourself to improve offensively?
BILAL COULIBALY: I would say just my ball handling. I've been working on that this year. I know I'm about to do more catch-and-shoot, so I've been working on that, too, and that's the aspect of the game I've been working on the most, like to be consistent and doing what I've got to do.
Q. In the third quarter you were credited with a block against Victor. Did you actually get the block?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, yeah. I did. Perfect.
Q. I believe you said over the summer that you hadn't blocked him, at least when you guys went up against each other in practice. What was it like doing that for the first time in an NBA game?
BILAL COULIBALY: That's just what I wanted. I wanted to dunk on him, but yeah, I had the block, so I'm happy with it.
Q. You mentioned yesterday that you guys were going to be talking trash to each other mostly in French so that no one else could hear what was going on. Did that happen? How much talking was going on?
BILAL COULIBALY: We talked a little bit more before the game because we weren't in the game at the same time a lot, so when I blocked him I looked at him a little bit, but couldn't talk that much. But yeah, before the game we talked a little bit. He got the W, though.
Q. What was going well for you at the beginning of that fourth quarter? You guys had a 21-9 start in that first seven minutes. You and Corey in particular were responsible for a lot of the offense. What was going well for you guys?
BILAL COULIBALY: We were just playing great defense. They had a lot of turnovers and we were running the floor. That's what we've got to do. We know we can run. Deni was throwing good passes. Corey, too. Yeah, just running the floor is one of our best points I'd say in the game, so that's what we've got to do more, obviously.
Q. How long have the two of you been dreaming about this moment, playing each other --
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, when we were watching highlights of LeBron James, everybody, we were like, yeah, I wish I could be there, and now we're here.
Q. What's the focus going to shift to for Denver tomorrow?
BILAL COULIBALY: We know that Jokic is the main problem in that team, so we've just got to do a great job on him. He's going to try to look around for his teammates, look for himself. We've just got to focus on them and all the other guys like Jamal Murray, Michael Porter, Jr. They're all great players, so we've got to be locked in.
Q. What do you expect it to be like going up against Jokic where the offense runs through the center?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I don't know. We'll adjust. We didn't talk about it much for the most, but we'll see how we do. I know Coach got a great plan for it, so I believe in him.
Q. What do you think about the way Marvin has played the last two games stepping in?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, Marvin has been doing a great job running the floor when in transition, setting good screens, rolling like he should roll, popping at the good times, too. Shot going to fall in, but he's been doing a great job.
Q. I think the French ambassador was here watching today. Did you meet him or her, and what was it like to play in front of a member of your government?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I saw him like two, three months ago, met him a little bit, talked to each other, and yeah, I saw him before the game with Victor, and we talked a little bit about everything. He's a nice guy, and playing in front of him was a good moment for both of us.
Q. After a game like this that comes right down to the wire and you have to play again in less than 24 hours, what's the hardest part mentally before the next game?
BILAL COULIBALY: We've just got to move on. There's a lot of games in a season, and we can't stay on that one. Yeah, tomorrow morning we've just got to do what we're supposed to do, getting to work, doing the film and everything we need to do. We've just got to move on. Tough loss we had tonight, but tomorrow is a new day.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports