We were expecting a very Franco-French evening in Atlanta, with three French champions who wanted to do battle in this clash (not at all) from the East. Results of the races: a mixed evening for one, complicated for another and finished magnificently for the last.
Bilal Coulibaly is only 20 years old, but once again he played like an old man last night.
Already very prominent during his last match with a career record (23 points), the Clodoaldian did it again last night and added a little spice.
In a match that the Hawks seemed to have in hand before halftime, despite Jordan Poole’s new hot streak for Washington, we had to wait until the locker room returned to see the scenario settle. Was No. 2 in the Draft Alexandre Sarr the trigger for the Wizards’ comeback? not really, even if the big Alex worked hard and was not invisible, far from it (7 points on 3/11 shooting, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks). Did Zacharie Risacher weigh in on this game for the Hawks? Not at all, even if his +14 +/- proves that it is better to have him “with” than “against”. A match to forget for Z, who found a nice… slice in the clutch, and who will have to wait until the next evening to shine.
And then, to tell the truth, if Zaccharie Risacher was upset last night, it’s a bit because of… Bilal Coulibaly. Why: because Zacch was cut off from his relationship with Trae Young, a relationship that… Bilal Coulibaly took it upon himself to annihilate.
Bilal Coulibaly’s DEFENSE on Trae Young’s last shot of the match!! pic.twitter.com/hCeOC0uSWw
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) https://twitter.com/TrashTalk_fr/status/1851084886460760082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Throughout the match and even more in the last quarter, throughout the last quarter and even more on the last action after a final comeback from the Hawks, the sophomore from Washington took his responsibilities in defense on one of the best leaders in the League. Trae Young will remember it, and his 2/15 shooting including 2/10 from distance and his six lost balls are fifteen proofs of this. Athletically Bilou is a monster, a freak disguised as a normal guy, and last night Trae Young almost pulled out the little hair he had left. The icing on the DPOY? 11 pawns registered in the last quarter for the Frenchman, 11 + 6 which makes 17 and which confirms that the n°0 is indeed one of the leaders of his team this season.
Check out this picture of Bilal Coulibaly from tonight’s game! pic.twitter.com/7QNjiykmw1
— Matt Modderno (@MattModderno) https://twitter.com/MattModderno/status/1851079569060532506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 37 minutes for him last night, a first victory for his team, and this impression of toughness… and at the same time ease, which suggests happy days for his franchise.
Bilal Coulibaly, you are the player you think you are.
What a game tonight, the defense on Trae Young, the offensive initiatives.
Huge confirmation of his great start to the season. Maximum confidence.
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) https://twitter.com/TrashTalk_fr/status/1851078341253648874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
In short, everyone have a Bilal in your life, unless your name is Trae Young.
