Cavaliers 135, Wizards 116
Q. It was a career night for you offensively. What was working for you?
BILAL COULIBALY: I mean, knocking down my shots, open shots, being able to get to the basket, dish when I needed to, but finish, too. Yeah, it helped me to get a lot of point today.
Q. How would you describe your start to the season offensively and how the work that you put in in the off-season is paying off?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I mean, I know Coach trusts -- has trusted me, so he's just like letting me handle the ball a lot more, like setting the plays and everything, so he just makes me feel confident on the court, and I'm able to find my teammates, get some open looks for myself, too, so I felt good about my start.
Q. You were really aggressive today shooting the ball. What led to the confidence that you have to take that many shots?
BILAL COULIBALY: They've been on me about last game because I didn't shoot a lot, so they were like, you've got to shoot, we need you to shoot. Yeah, this morning at shootaround Coach was like, we need you with the ball yesterday, too, so that's what I did.
Q. So "they" is the coaching staff?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, coaching staff, teammates, everybody. Guys believe in me, so it makes it easier for me.
Q. When you looked back at the film from the Boston game, did you feel like there were some shots that you probably should have pulled the trigger there?
BILAL COULIBALY: For sure, yeah, a couple of them. A couple threes I should have pulled up, so yeah.
Q. How has your role changed this season? How is it different?
BILAL COULIBALY: I mean, just coming through training camp confident, playing with the ball, not being afraid to go to the rim and everything. Coach saw it and he was like, yeah, he can play, so gave me a lot more the ball and everything, so just, yeah, the coach trusts me, teammates trust me, so that's how I get the ball a lot more. Last year was not like that.
Q. I know you're trying to improve in every aspect. What areas are you trying to improve on defensively?
BILAL COULIBALY: I'd say probably talking more with my teammates, like on switches and everything. Just being more on the body, off the ball. On ball I'm pretty good, but off the ball I've got to be more locked in.
Q. Did you say you were standing out in training camp and Keefe noticed it and kind of changed the game plan based off that?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, first practices I was really trying to show that I worked this summer, show that I can go to the rim, pull up and everything, so they saw it, I guess, and now they believe in me.
Q. How satisfying was that to earn a larger offensive role by proving yourself like that?
BILAL COULIBALY: Felt really good. I learned it also during French national team, not being really, really aggressive first practices, and that's how I handled probably not playing sometimes. So I was like, I'm not trying to live that thing again, so whenever I got here, I was like, I've got to prove them.
Q. You talked about how your role has changed this year and you're definitely handing the ball more and you've gotten better at it. What, if anything, has been the hardest part of that transition for you to be more on ball and more of a facilitator?
BILAL COULIBALY: I mean, you've got to play both sides now, so it's really tough. You've got to stop the best player, and after that you've got to get some buckets, so it's really tough. I'd say that's the toughest part because you've got to be in great condition to do that.
Q. You set career highs in points and assists through the first two games of the season. How does it feel not only to have those strong performances in training camp and know that you can do this but also show it immediately?
BILAL COULIBALY: I mean, it feels really good. I kind of knew it was coming because I've really been working this summer and even like preseason and everything. Yeah, I believed in myself. I knew it was coming. Now I'm just trying to get some W's. That's all we need right now.
Q. What does a night like tonight and a night like the first game against Boston do for your confidence to make sure that you're able to pull the trigger when you need to?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, gives me a boost. I know I'm able to go to the rim, facilitate, too, so yeah, it just gives me a lot of confidence, now I'm just trying to do my best to win the games.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports