The Brooklyn Nets fought hard, but ultimately fell short. Coming into a big game against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors, Kyrie Irving was the lone member of the Big 3 available for Steve Nash Saturday. Kevin Durant continues to rehab his sprained MCL in his knee, and James Harden was a late scratch after suffering a strained hand over the last couple days.

At one point in the game, the Nets trailed by as many as 18 points, but Kyrie went into his Uncle Drew bag and helped carry them all the way back.

Irving, in his eighth game of the year, had a season high 32 points to go with seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. His third 30-point game of the year led all scorers in this one. He's now averaging 23.4 points per game. He drained a ridiculous 27-foot triple to cut the Warriors' lead to just one with 10 seconds to go.

That's when the controversy took place.

It looked like Kyrie Irving's legs got tangled with Klay Thompson's. The foul was called before the pass, so it led to a single Stephen Curry free throw. However, the Warriors maintained possession of the ball. The Nets had to foul again, and so by the time Klay hit a pair, Nash's men were suddenly in a four-point hole with just 5.7 seconds left.

By not challenging, the Nets wound up down by four with one timeout. If they had, there's at least a small chance they could have salvaged the possession and only been down by two, or had the play been ruled a turnover on the Warriors, the Nets would have received the ball. In the range of outcomes, this was one you want to challenge all day every day regardless of how much of a long-shot the officials suggested it was.

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Earlier in the game, Nash had an opportunity to use a challenge on a Kessler Edwards personal which sent Curry to the line. This is precisely the type of “non-basketball move” by Curry that James Harden has been made an example of this season. It must have really frustrated the Nets to see this one go against Edwards, who played a gem of a game defensively.

Steve Nash held on to his challenges both times. The second one buried them. After the game, Nash was asked what about many felt was a clear mistake. Why didn't he use his challenge at the end?

“Get someone in trouble if I say why so, a little bird said don't challenge,” Nash revealed.

This is a reason Doc Rivers, head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, gave earlier this season in a similar scenario. Rivers said he has an assistant coach he relies on to give a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” Sounds like Nash uses the same system.

What was the explanation Nash got from the officials? “Foul, hundred percent, foul.” Is the coach mad at the “little bird?” “[If] they're not gonna over turn it, they're not gonna over turn it, so we tried to keep our timeout.”

Nets forward James Johnson weighed in on the subject, although he didn't have the best vantage point. He chalked it up to a fast game with plenty of mistakes.

“You can't expect these refs to see everything or get everything right,” added Johnson. “They made a call, we had a chance to challenge it if we wanted to, we opted not to.”

Could Johnson see what happened?

“I couldn't, from where I was in the corner, so many cutters, things like that it's hard,” explained the former Miami Heat forward. “I think I had one earlier in the game too where I felt like I got fouled but they didn't see the foul they saw the ball go off the knee so it's a fast sport and you know like I said, there's gonna be mistakes.”

For what it's worth, Kyrie Irving backed his coach as well.

“At the end of games, you kinda expect an aggressive style of play, and I thought I was in kinda legal guarding position, but the refs disagreed, so coulda gone either way but it was a big play,” said the seven-time All-Star.

Was he surprised they didn't challenge it?

“I know our coaches do a great job of having conversations [with each other and with officials to figure out the right course of action] and when the game's on the line like that, on the balance, it coulda gone either way so, we just trust Steve's judgment. But from looking on top of the screen I saw that my foot was in Klay's way and he tripped and that's gonna be a foul any day of the week,” Kyrie furthered.

Irving definitely takes a diplomatic position and you like to see the Nets have their coach's back. But knowing that you're sending either of the Splash Brothers to the line for the chance to put the game out of reach has to be worth a Hail Mary challenge. Perhaps Nash won't rely on his little birds next time.