Kerr shares honest assessment of team's inability to close out games.
The Golden State Warriors continue to struggle when it matters most, and head coach Steve Kerr is putting the blame squarely on himself after the team's latest heartbreaking defeat.
Golden State fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 136-131 on Sunday night at Moda Center despite a 48-point effort from Stephen Curry, dropping the Warriors to 13-14 on the season while the Trail Blazers improved to 10-17.
Kerr Points Finger at Himself
The loss marked Golden State's third defeat to Portland this season and continued a troubling pattern for the Warriors in tight games.
Golden State is now just 5-9 in clutch situations this year, and Kerr did not hold back when asked about the team's struggles down the stretch.'
"We've got to find a way to connect the game. That's my job. I'm not doing my job well this year," Kerr said after the loss.
He acknowledged that his team simply is not getting it done when the pressure is highest.
Curry gave the Warriors a 129-127 lead with just 1:26 remaining after hitting his 12th three-pointer of the night, but Portland refused to fold and closed the game on a strong run to secure the win.
Portland's Fourth-Quarter Push
Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe led the Trail Blazers with 35 points each, and both players came up big in the final quarter.
Grant poured in 19 of his points in the fourth period alone while drilling a season-high seven three-pointers on the night, and his game-sealing free throws helped close the door on Golden State's comeback hopes.
Portland shot an impressive 51 percent from beyond the arc for the game, making 20 of their 39 attempts from deep.
A Wasted Night from Curry
The loss was especially painful given how well Curry played.
His 48 points came on 12-of-19 shooting from three-point range, which tied his career total of 28 games with at least 10 made threes — an NBA record he continues to extend.
Curry has now scored 87 points with 18 three-pointers in his last two games, yet the Warriors have lost both contests.
Jimmy Butler added 16 points for Golden State, making 10 of his 11 free throw attempts, while Draymond Green contributed 14 points in the first half before fading in the second.
Green finished with four turnovers and picked up a technical foul during the third quarter as his frustration boiled over.
The Warriors now sit below .500 and are 6-10 on the road this season.
They have lost seven of their last 11 games and will need to figure out their late-game issues quickly if they hope to turn their season around.
Golden State faces the Phoenix Suns on Thursday as they look to snap out of their closing woes.