Kyrie Irving was the one who closed out on Russell Westbrook when the Washington Wizards guard nailed the game-winning three-pointer against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. After the game, Irving took the blame for not putting his best defensive stance in the crazy sequence.

Per Malika Andrews of ESPN, the six-time All-Star shared his honest self-assessment, but he doesn't want to dwell too much on the tough 149-146 loss. He also offered an analogy for his non-existent defense.

After Bradley Beal hit a deep three-pointer to cut the Nets' lead to just two points with only 7.6 seconds remaining in the game, all the Nets had to do was inbound the ball properly. But after a miscommunication between Kevin Durant and Joe Harris, the ball ended up in Garrison Matthews' hands. He quickly dished it to Westbrook who, without hesitation, rose up for the three-pointer. Irving could've contested the shot but he was just a step too late.

After the Nets acquired James Harden last month, analysts were quick to question the team's defensive abilities. After all, both Irving and Harden are not necessarily known for their defense. Some observers felt the Nets should look at acquiring more defensive-oriented players. Coach Steve Nash did not dismiss the suggestion but believes he should work with the pieces already at his disposal (via Kristian Winfield of NY Daily News).

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
cG9zdDoyODEwOTky-thumbnail

Peter Sampson Ā·

Chris Paul surrounded by piles of cash.

Paolo Songco Ā·

Image: Sean Marks and Joe Tsai on one side looking at Jordi Fernandez on the other

Erik Slater Ā·

ā€œI think we need to improve, and we need to look inward to improve. If roster composition changes for the better defensively, thatā€™s great. But I donā€™t think we can rely on that because that may not be possible. You know, itā€™s not like theyā€™re just falling off trees for us to pick up guys that are going to change our defense.ā€

Kyrie Irving and the Nets saw their four-game winning streak end at the hands of the lowly Wizards. They have a chance to bounce back on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.