Bilal Coulibaly erupts in the Washington Wizards comeback efforts before falling in overtime against the Orlando Magic
After a deflating performance on Tuesday night that ended in the national headlines, the Washington Wizards bounced back with another encouraging showing in still their tenth consecutive loss after falling, 136-131, to the Orlando Magic
Bilal Coulibaly led the way with a new career-high 29 points on 9-of-21 shooting, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He also did it after making three three-pointers for the second time in March, also tying his career high.
Alex Sarr notched his fourth game with five or more blocks, adding 16 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. Trae Young also added 15 points and six assists in 21 minutes, the most he's played in a Wizards uniform so far.
Sarr also dazzled in his limited minutes, registering 13 points and four blocks in 12 minutes through the first half. He finished the game with 16 points, five blocks and four rebounds.
That also included an alley top from Trae Young midway through the first quarter, trimming Washington's early 20-13 deficit before making a pair of free throws to make it a five point game in the closing minutes.
Washington would trade buckets with Orlando through the opening minutes of the second quarter before Trae Young's first three of the night brought them within six then Justin Champagne's bucket in the post cut it to four. The Magic would answer with consecutive buckets before Alex Sarr checked back in and picked up right where he left off.
Trailing by eight, Sarr would catch fire after nailing a three, throwing down his second dunk courtesy of Trae Young and notching two blocks - all within 67 seconds - to make it a one possession game and forcing Orlando to call timeout. Washington entered the locker room trailing 63-56 at halftime.
But the third quarter proved to tell a different tale for Washington as Orlando built back its double digit lead, though it wasn't all good with Jonathan Isaac being helped off the floor and into the locker room with an apparent knee injury.
The Magic grew that lead to as many as 19 points, but Washington was able to trim into the deficit after Leaky Black and Will Riley combined for a 9-0 run before a pair of free throws from Bub Carrington made it a five point game. But then Bilal Coulibaly got hot - hot enough to field a comeback after scoring 14 of the team's 42 points in the fourth quarter, capped off by a three banked in off the glass to send the game to overtime tied at 123.
Coulibaly would give Washington its first lead of the game after making a pair of free throws, then set a new career high after his three tied the game at 131 with under two minutes left in overtime. But the Wizards wouldn't be able to contain Jalen Suggs after he scored five consecutive points to give Orlando a two possession lead inside one minute left. That proved to be the difference in an encouraging, yet still tenth consecutive loss.
Now 16-49, Washington is now set to close out its three game road trip against the Boston Celtics on Saturday, March 14 with Jayson Tatum back ahead of the hopeful playoff run. Saturday also marks the final meeting in a three-game season series with tipoff set for 6 PM.