Wizards 138, Raptors 117
Q. Bilal, how do you think you guys were able to be so effective on offense today, both yourself and as a team?
BILAL COULIBALY: I think it was a team effort, like just sharing the ball, finding guys in the right space at the right time. Yeah, it just makes the game easier when we play like that.
Q. You've obviously been in and out of the lineup with injuries. How do you stay consistent and just stay on your feet when you're constantly in and out?
BILAL COULIBALY: Just work out, go to the gym, do your things, act like you're not hurt. That's what I've been doing, so yeah, just the reps.
Q. BK talked about your ability to put pressure on the rim. What allows you to put that pressure on, when you're able to get past the initial layer of the defense? What do you feel like works best?
BILAL COULIBALY: I just feel like I'm pretty athletic so I get there and I just try to jump or I can make the right play, too, so it just comes easy.
Q. What kind of lift has Bub been giving you guys off the bench with his three-point shooting?
BILAL COULIBALY: He's been great. He's been really, like, effective, like more confident. He comes out and takes whatever shot he's got. We are telling him to keep doing that because that's what we need, and you can tell the last few games he's been doing this at a great level, and it helps us. He's doing a good job.
Q. How would you compare Alex's rim protection this year to last year now that he's been in the league a year and theoretically the game is slowing down?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, it's a lot different. I think last year, this is going to sound bad, but he was a little bit scared to get dunked on and stuff like that, but now he's not even thinking about it. He just goes out there and tries to contest everything, so it's helping us a lot, too.
Q. Setting the tone, you mentioned that you sometimes like to set the tone and apply pressure. Do you think that's contagious, that it gives your teammates more confidence after they see you be more aggressive?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, yeah. I don't think so, I'm sure. We talked about it with the guys. They are pushing me, too, before the games. They're like, put pressure, we will follow you. I'm trying to do the right things for them to follow me.
Q. Since you got back, what's the role that you've imagined for yourself specifically, and how have you gone about attacking that?
BILAL COULIBALY: I mean, I've talked with the coaches, and whatever they wanted, I was ready to do it. They've been telling me to bring the ball up a little bit more, and that's what I've been doing the past two games, and it's helping us, I think, so I'll keep doing it.
Q. Have you felt a growth and comfortability trying more stuff?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, yeah, definitely. I feel like I'm getting way more confident with those on-ball reps. So yeah.
Q. What would you say about the defensive intensity tonight, stopping Scottie Barnes, just an explosive player like him?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, at first it was pretty tough because he was getting in the paint easy, getting those defensive rebounds and pushing the ball. At halftime we talked about it. We were trying to figure that out. We did a pretty good job in the second half. Yeah, we just had to be a little bit more physical and pack the paint, and that's what we did.
Q. Season high points for to you night. What have you really felt out there? How do you feel physically as far as going out there and being able to do your thing?
BILAL COULIBALY: I feel pretty good. I felt pretty good. I've still got a long way to go. I know I can feel even better. I feel really good. The coaches have been doing the right things for me, too. If the ball comes to me, I bring the ball up, I share with the guys. I'm able to show my play-making ability. Yeah, I feel really confident right now.
Q. Obviously you want to be out there every game. How difficult has it been for you to stay positive with these unfortunate, unlucky injuries you've had?
BILAL COULIBALY: Man, it was pretty tough, but we've got a great organization, and I'm really grateful for that because they've all been talking to me during these hard times, and yeah, it was really helpful for me.
Q. Without all that support, how would you have gotten through this?
BILAL COULIBALY: I mean, I'm a grown man, so I had to. It's part of the game. It's part of the job. You get hurt, everybody gets hurt. You've just got to go through it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports