Thunder 132, Wizards 111
Q. What changed in the fourth quarter for you guys on the offensive end?
BILAL COULIBALY: Just moving the ball a lot more, making the right plays, and yeah, finding the open man. Yeah, and being really aggressive defensively, too.
Q. But in the fourth quarter, what changed for you guys where you guys were scoring so well through the first three quarters and they sort of locked down in the fourth?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, we were just -- like they've got experience, so they were doing the right things defensively, being really physical with us. Yeah, defensively were really one just once, so yeah, we've just got to be better on that, but we'll learn.
Q. For you individually, how would you describe the last few weeks for you offensively with the opportunity you've gotten and how you've taken advantage of it?
BILAL COULIBALY: Just finding my rhythm, getting the ball a lot more to create for myself and our guys. Just getting my rhythm. Been out a little bit with an injury, so now I'm here for good, so yeah, felt good.
Q. Bilal, you had 14 points in the third quarter and then there was also a three-pointer by Sharife that had the crowd going wild, and then also Will Riley got the crowd's energy up. How do moments like that add to the identity that you guys are establishing here in Washington and really just adds to how this team is growing?
BILAL COULIBALY: It's great, because like you said, it's the young guys that pushed it, so yeah, seeing the crowd just follow us, it was like having six guys on the court. Yeah, it was really good for us.
Q. You mentioned you're starting to find a rhythm after the injuries. Can you expand on that, like how difficult it's been to find a rhythm this year, and why you think you're breaking through now?
BILAL COULIBALY: It's been really, really difficult. Just like playing, coming back, playing like three, four games and then get hurt again. It was really, really tough, my body and even mentally.
But yeah, I feel like I just pushed through, got in the gym, worked, talked to my coaches, my teammates, and they all believed in me. So that's helping, too.
Q. Will Riley, I'm assuming you've guarded him a few times in practice. What's it like guarding him, and how would you describe his offensive game?
BILAL COULIBALY: I'm not going to lie; if there's one guy I cannot guard, it's Will Riley. When I was hurt, we had a lot of games at practice, just between us, and yeah, I had to guard him, and he's just different. Like the way he moves, you don't see it very often. That makes him really, really tough to guard.
Q. I'm curious with your three-point shot, the comfort you feel and the rhythm that you feel that you're in with the three-pointers specifically.
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, like I said, it's just work. Just trusting my shot, confidence, and yeah, that's it.
Q. Defensively where have you seen Jamir kind of take that next step because he came in, they were very high on him defensively, but it seemed like he's taken an added jump here already?
BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I've said since training camp, he was really guard, like really physical, moving his feet well, and yeah, he's gotten better because he was fouling a lot at the beginning of the year but now he's learning how to play without fouling, and he's really helping us.
Q. I'm also curious, just picking up on the fan question, it's one thing to see your teammates get into it with the opposing team, but the way the crowd has reacted, even going back to when Trae got ejected when he wasn't even playing, the reaction they had, does that kind of give you guys that positive outlook and knowing they're getting behind you for what could come in the future?
BILAL COULIBALY: For sure. I think they've seen that we're sticking with each other and they're loving it. It was a close game, too, so we just had the crowd with us. It was really great.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports