Wizards Notes: Losing Streak, Poole, Coulibaly, Valanciunas, Rookies

The Wizards ended their 16-game losing streak with a win over Denver on Saturday. Both teams were missing key players, and Washington withstood a 56-point barrage from Nikola Jokic. Jordan Poole led Washington by 39 points.

“Of course we want to win more games,” Poole said. “We’re going to be extremely competitive night in and night out. But through that we’re learning. We’ve got a lot of guys learning, a lot of guys in and out (with injuries). So you don’t want to jump ship just because there’s a little bit adversity. Everything we’ve been taught all season just showed up (Saturday).

Poole made a career-best nine 3-pointers. “Been waiting to do that for a while,” Poole said.

We have more on Wizards:

• Bilal Coulibaly had another tough offensive night on Saturday, going 2-for-9 from the field. However, he was a defensive force with four steals and three blocks. “He wreaked havoc out there,” coach Brian Keefe said. “Steals. Blocks. … Yeah, Bilal hasn’t been making any shots lately, but it hasn’t affected his energy, his effort, his defense. I actually think his defense has actually gotten better in the last week. Watch some of the guys he’s guarded and what they’ve done to him, it hasn’t been that good. And that’s a testament to who he is: fighting through adversity.”
• Jonas Valanciunas hopes that Lithuania will be chosen as the host of FIBA ​​EuroBasket 2029. Lithuania is among the countries that have submitted bids. “First of all, a lot has to happen – paperwork, details, all that. But if we get the chance, it would be great,” Valanciunas told Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It’s a basketball party. We are a basketball country just like Slovenia. It would be an honor to host EuroBasket.”
• Rookies have to adjust to NBA officiating, and the Wizards’ first-year players are no different. Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network details how Carlton Carrington and other Wizards rookies are learning how to handle officiating crews.