The Warriors hit a new low in their 104-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday at Scotiabank Arena, and Steve Kerr is shouldering the blame.
After Golden State struggled offensively throughout Monday's game and especially down the stretch, the Warriors coach explained what went wrong.
"Just didn't get good looks, didn't execute very well, weren't disciplined enough," Kerr told reporters. "And that's my fault. I'm the coach of the team. I have to find a way to help this team, and I'm not doing a good job of that."
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The Warriors had a hard time scoring but still managed to lead the Raptors 86-77 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, and then their offensive issues caught up with them as Toronto outscored them 27-15 to end the contest.
While Raptors forward Chris Boucher scored 17 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield missed consecutive 3-point shots to either tie the game or take the lead in the final 45 seconds. Mistakes even cost the Warriors after they made shots, like Curry's turnover after a go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 14, 2025
After a 12-3 start and plenty of optimism to start the 2024-25 NBA season, the Warriors are 19-20 and No. 11 in the Western Conference following Monday's loss to a 9-31 Raptors team. They shot just 39.8 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three -- not nearly good enough to overcome the litany of errors they're committing on the floor.
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"Down the stretch we're not executing, but that's happening throughout the game on both ends -- missed rotations, missed coverages on defense and then poor possessions offensively," Kerr continued. "... This is as frustrating a night as we've had all season. The game was right there for us, and we just let them get right back in it.
"And again, it's lack of discipline in our coverages defensively, in our offensive execution, and I'm the coach, so it's my fault."
Wiggins, who finished behind Curry's 26 points with 20 of his own, disagreed that the Warriors' issues lie solely on Kerr's shoulders. The onus is on the team as a whole, he said.
"I don't think it's on him," Wiggins told reporters after the game. "That's what a leader does. Steve is a leader, so he's always going to try to take responsibility, but it's on everybody, from the first person to the last person. Everyone can help out. Everyone can do more -- including myself. The only way we're going to get over this thing and change the outcome is if everybody from the first person to the last person gives a little bit more."
The Warriors are searching for an answer, and have been for most of the season. And whether the solution comes from Kerr or from within the group, there's no ignoring that time is running out.