The Washington Wizards couldn’t have asked for a much better way to begin their new era.
Washington opened the season with a 128-116 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, powered by a dominant performance from Anthony Davis and contributions throughout the roster.
Davis was the headliner, finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. He completely took over the third quarter, scoring 18 points and helping turn the momentum of the game in Washington’s favor.
But the Wizards’ first win of the season was about much more than Davis.
Trae Young struggled with his shot, going 4-of-13 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts, but controlled the offense with 13 assists against just one turnover. Kyshawn George overcame early foul trouble and a difficult shooting night to make an impact on both ends, including a huge late sequence in which he blocked a three-point attempt before taking the ball the other way for a dunk.
And then there was Bilal Coulibaly.
Coulibaly stepped into the starting lineup with AJ Dybantsa unavailable and delivered one of the more encouraging performances of the night just days after failing to reach a rookie contract extension with Washington.
Coulibaly finished with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, four steals and two blocks without committing a turnover. His defensive impact in particular caught the attention of Locked On Wizards host Ben Strober.
“Bilal Coulibaly got the start in place of AJ Dybantsa tonight and he did not miss a beat coming off what was a day where you don’t see him get the contract extension with this organization. And he goes out there and plays some of the best basketball I’ve seen him play. He was a plus-six in the game, four steals and two blocks. So that’s six stocks that he put together in this game. Part of an 11-point performance, one of three from downtown, four of six from the field. But just his impact was incredible in this game. Most importantly, did not turn the ball over as well. He was aggressive. He found his opportunities to spot up in the corner, found opportunities to get downhill, but his defense was everywhere. He was getting his hand in passing lanes. He was anticipating. He did everything the Wizards needed him to do.”
It was exactly the type of performance Washington needed from Coulibaly.
With Davis and Young now leading the offense and Dybantsa eventually returning to the lineup, Coulibaly doesn’t necessarily need to become a high-volume scorer to make a significant impact. His defense, length and ability to contribute without dominating the basketball could make him an important piece of this new-look roster.
The same could be said about Washington’s supporting cast as a whole.
Justin Champagnie grabbed eight rebounds and finished with a team-best plus-17. Bub Carrington provided 10 points and four assists off the bench. George continued affecting the game despite his shot not falling.
Davis may have delivered the superstar performance Washington needed to take control of the game, but he didn’t win it alone.
That’s perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from opening night.
The Wizards finally have a roster where different players can impact winning in different ways. On Wednesday night, Coulibaly provided a perfect example — and sent an early message about what he could bring to Washington in a pivotal fourth season.
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