WASHINGTON — Now that Kevin Durant is sidelined and Kyrie Irving is actually available, the Nets are going to need the All-Star guard to step up.
Irving did just that Wednesday night, carrying the Nets to a 119-118 victory over the Wizards at CapitalOne Arena. The Nets escaped with this one, no other word will do.
Irving poured in a game-high 30 points and handed out seven assists. The Nets also got a turn-back-the-clock performance from venerable center LaMarcus Aldridge, who added 27 points and was near-automatic from midrange.
Aldridge made huge plays down the stretch, scoring six points in the final three minutes after the Wizards had cut the Nets’ 16-point lead to a deuce. He and Irving steadied the ship.
James Harden did have 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. But he shot 7-for-21 overall and 0-for-5 from 3-point range, committing an unsightly eight turnovers to finish minus-8. And Harden was blocked at the rim late,…