Bilal Coulibaly to be sidelined multiple weeks with right oblique strain

WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards’ defense has struggled for most of the season, and now the team is bracing to be without its best perimeter defender for multiple weeks.

Third-year wing Bilal Coulibaly, who is typically deployed to guard opponents’ best scorers or best playmakers, suffered a right oblique strain early in the third quarter of the Wizards’ loss Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

It’s a tough blow for the 21-year-old and for the Wizards. One of the reasons the Wizards’ defense ranks 30th in the NBA in points allowed per possession is that Coulibaly has already missed eight of the team’s 20 games. Coulibaly tore a ligament in his right thumb while he played in EuroBasket for France and underwent surgery in mid-September, delaying his debut this season until Oct. 30. Coulibaly was kicked in his left calf Nov. 5 and missed four games because of a contusion.

Wizards officials would not put an expected timeline on Coulibaly’s recovery from the oblique strain, but the team already is dealing with injuries to two swingmen: rookie Tre Johnson, who has a strained left hip flexor, and Corey Kispert, who has a fracture in the tip of his right thumb. On Thursday, starting center Alex Sarr is set to miss his third consecutive game because of a right adductor strain.

Coulibaly appeared to sustain his injury on the opening sequence of Tuesday’s third quarter against the 76ers. He played through discomfort for the next eight minutes of the game. When he was subbed out with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter, Washington was trailing 87-67.

In 27.2 minutes per game this season, Coulibaly is averaging 8.8 points and 4.0 rebounds. His strong defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday helped the Wizards upset the Milwaukee Bucks 129-126.

Justin Champagnie, Cam Whitmore and rookie Will Riley likely will pick up additional playing time during Coulibaly’s absence.