Celtics 122, Wizards 102
Q. I wanted to ask, so often when players talk about their wingspan, it's used in the context of their defense, but for you when you get to the rim your wingspan allows you to curl around defenders and finish in an unorthodox ways. Talk about how your length helps you.
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, it helps me first of all defensively for sure, to get some steals easily with my active hands, but offensively just when I raise up, I just go over everybody for real. It just makes it easier for me to draw falls or to get a bucket.
Q. What is your wingspan now?
BILAL COULIBALY: 7'2", I think, 7'2", 7'3".
Q. Can you take us through that play where you curled around Kornet to get that pass to Valanciunas? How did you see that help you there?
BILAL COULIBALY: I went to dunk. I wanted to dunk at first, but I saw it was kind of early, so I was like, JB got an easy bucket, so I ditched it to him.
Q. What did you notice individually from the three rookies tonight?
BILAL COULIBALY: Really good. It was the first game. A little bit of stress probably, but they just competed. Bub was really active defensively. I loved it. The energy was there. So yeah, I'm proud of them.
Q. It seemed like you were initiating the offense more, doing more play making. I think you had six assists. What can you say about how that felt, having a larger role in that regard?
BILAL COULIBALY: It felt really good. I love to have the ball in my hands and create for others and for myself, too. Yeah, it felt really good. My teammates trust me, and I trust them, so it makes it easier.
Q. What did you think of Sarr's defense tonight?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, he was all over the place. It was probably tough at some point for him, but I know it is, the first game going against Boston. Everybody can really create their own shots. So it's tough, but he'll be good.
Q. When you think back to your first game last year up to now where you have a lot more experience under your belt. What was the difference for you tonight?
BILAL COULIBALY: Ooh, first game I just went in, I was stressed. I remember it was not even a home game. We were away.
I was just waiting to touch the ball, and I got my first shots up, and my first bucket it touched off part of the rim. It still went in. But yeah, it was tough, tougher than them.
Q. We're learning more aspects of your game. Where do you envision yourself down the road as a play maker?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, like I've been talking about since the beginning of training camp, I'm just going to be more of a play maker for others and for myself, just being able after screens to make the right read. I know I'm able to do that, so I'm just trying to show it and prove it and feel like my teammates trust me, so it's cool.
Q. How has your leadership changed from last year to this year coming out of being a rookie and now being kind of a veteran player on the team?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, changed a lot because I know what's going to happen this year. I know how many games we play. I know where we're going. Even knowing the hotels we're playing at makes it easier so I can talk to the rookies to tell them about what you should do, what you shouldn't do, and they'll be listening, so I feel like it's getting way better.
Q. What's your inspo for your outfit tonight?
BILAL COULIBALY: I don't know, be just myself. Do you like it, though?
Q. I do.
BILAL COULIBALY: Thank you.
Q. You were the one guy on the team who was able to get to the free-throw line a lot tonight. What do you think led to you being able to generate so many free throws?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, just being aggressive. My teammates were at some point looking for me in transition so I can go to the rim and dish it out or just finish. It helped me to get a lot of free throws, so I'm just going to the rim, being tough with the ball, going up, and it was pretty good.
Q. A loss tonight, first game. 81 games left. What can you take away from this game that was positive for this team?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I'd say the first quarter to middle of the second quarter was really good. We were doing what we were supposed to do offensively, defensively, and yeah, they were just the best team tonight. They know each other. We're still learning about ourselves. We're going to make some mistakes. The mistakes against a team like that, you pay, so that's what happened tonight, but we were pretty good. I'm happy for them.
Q. What did you think of the rookies and what they were able to do first game tonight?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I was really -- they were confident beginning of the game. Bub showed a lot today, I'd say, defensively. He never played that much defense since the beginning of the preseason and everything, so I was proud of him on that hand. Yeah, both Kyshawn and Alex, they played good, too. First game is always tough. Mine was tougher. I know they're going to be good.
Q. Last year you gave us some French music ideas. Do you have a French song I should listen to?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I'll give you one. It's French and English guy, Central Cee. It's JRK 19 and Central Cee. You've got to listen to that. You have to. I'll ask you next time, so you have to.
Q. How did you hurt your finger?
BILAL COULIBALY: It was actually the last part of the practice. I can't remember what happened but I just know I went to contest a shot and when I came back on the ground, it hurt. I don't even know what happened for real.
Q. Do you feel like it's affecting your shot?
BILAL COULIBALY: No, not really. I made almost all my free throws, so probably not.
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