Bilal Coulibaly posted his fourth 20-point game of the season, but the Washington Wizards fell again in a 21-point loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Washington Wizards were competitive for 36 minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday evening, but in the end, the losing streak extended to 15 games after falling, 132-11.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 40 points on 17-of-27 shooting, though no other player on the Thunder finished with more 20 points. Both Chet Holmgren and Jared McCain added 18 points each.
For the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly once again rose to the occasion for his fourth 20 point game of the month after posting 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three, in 34 minutes to lead the team. Bub Carrington also added another 19 points behind four made threes, while he also notched his 1,500th career point in the loss. Alex Sarr bounced back and notched a new career high with eight assists along with 14 points in 22 minutes.
After making just two of his last 21 shot attempts ahead of Saturday, Alex Sarr opened the scoring with a jumper before the Thunder went on a 9-0 run then eventually opening a nine point lead after a tip in four minutes in. But Sarr would give Washington back on track before a three from Bub Carrington gave them the lead back, the first of five made shots in consecutive possessions by both teams.
That changed in the second quarter after the Thunder hit consecutive threes to go up, 50-42, and lead head coach Brian Keefe to call a timeout. But Jamir Watkins would be the spark to get the Wizards even after scoring the next ten points for the Wizards to eventually tie the game at 52.
With Washington trailing by five with 27 seconds left, a brawl would break out after Justin Champagnie and Jaylin Williams first got into it before Champagnie and Ajay Mitchell appeared to trade blows. All three players, along with Cason Wallace, were ejected from the game.
Washington answered with a 5-0 run to take a brief lead coming out of halftime before largely keeping it a one possession game until the final minute of the third quarter after Shai finished in the paint before Kenrich Williams drilled a three, putting the Thunder up, 100-93 before maintaining a seven point lead into the final quarter.
Then the run began after the Thunder opened a double digit lead just a minute into the quarter as the Wizards offense went ice cold. Carrington's three pointer with 6:12 left in the fourth marked the team's first field goal of the quarter.
Now 16-54 overall, Washington will hit the road for game one of a five game road trip when they take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday evening for a 7:30 PM tipoff on Monumental.