Kurtenbach: The Warriors are winging it, and that’s for the best

The Golden State Warriors have spent the better part of this season searching for an identity. Are they contenders? Are they pretenders? Are they a localized art installation dedicated to the concept of the turnover?

Heading into the All-Star break at 29-26, they seem to have finally stumbled upon a guiding philosophy, one as chaotic as it is strangely comforting:

They’re just making this up as they go along.

And I think that’s just great.

This team heads into the All-Star break with everything to gain and nothing to lose — it’s a near mathematical impossibility they don’t at least make the play-in tournament.

They are also four games back of the Lakers for the No. 6 seed and the real playoffs. Is it a big gap? Sure. But look at the schedule coming down the pike for the Dubs: It’s a buffet of tanking teams; a who’s who of franchises seriously scouting Duke freshmen. If the Warriors can stop tripping over their own shoelaces and the Lakers continue to look like their toxic selves, that gap is closable.

Now, is it likely? No.

You’ve watched this team. You’ve seen the blown leads, the defensive lapses, and the moments where the offense looks like five guys trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions.

But is it possible? I suppose so. And “suppose so” might as well be the team’s new marketing slogan for the final three months, even going back to the trade deadline.

Trade Jonathan Kuminga for Kristaps Porzingis? Yeah…. suppose so.

But don’t confuse this attitude with nihilism or apathy. No sir.

I have a 1-year-old and an opinionated (who could have seen that coming) 3-year-old at home. I know exactly what I’m looking at when I see the Warriors:

That, dear friends, is exhaustion mixing with resignation to the fact that there’s only so much that can be done.

But let me offer a new emotion into the mix:

Optimism.

(Rare in this space, I’m sure you’ve noted.)

We have absolutely no read on this specific, ideal iteration of the Warriors.

We’re working with a theoretical roster here.

The Unicorn, Porzingis, has yet to log a minute for the Dubs. (A trend that, honestly, might continue for a while yet). Steph Curry hasn’t played in February.

These guys could be anything down the stretch.

And if you squint really hard, you can see the outline of a team that could be feisty. Like an 11-seed in the NCAA tournament. There’s always one that makes a run.

Why not the Warriors — the league’s dominant cultural force — as the Cinderella story?

This team has provided actual, tangible positives as of late.

First, Kuminga is elsewhere. Call it addition by subtraction. Call it an exorcism. I’m not even talking about the basketball player; I’m talking about the mere distraction that came with every move he made.

The constant “will-he-won’t-he” subplot is gone, and it’s easy to see that everyone is happier to come to work in turn.

In his absence, Moses Moody is thriving. He’s averaging 15 points on 46 percent shooting in February, playing defense like he actually enjoys it. He’s the plus role player the Warriors wanted Kuminga to be, albeit without the above-the-rim ability.

We’ve even seen flashes of the old Draymond Green defensive brilliance lately. He brought the fire against the Spurs on Wednesday. Sure, San Antonio is elite competition (that French kid they have might have a future), and the Dubs lost, but Draymond looked engaged. Did you see those incredible box-outs? They were enough to make an eighth-grade basketball coach cry tears of joy.

Picture the Dubs’ closing lineup down the stretch — health permitting (so consult a doctor before you add that much sodium to your diet): You have Curry (rested, presumably). You have De’Anthony Melton (what a pro). You have Moody and Green. And then, you have Porzingis.

The spacing? Immaculate. The defense? Intruiging. Green funnels the driver, Porzingis swats the shot into the third row. M & M on the perimeter is a pretty good combo, too.

Need depth? Throw in a little Gui Santos for chaotic energy. Use Pat Spencer as a sparkplug when the offense stagnates. Deploy Gary Payton II for three minutes of defensive havoc. Heck, Al Horford is here now for a high-quality 20-minute Zone 2 workout, playing that “old man at the YMCA who never misses” game.

You don’t even need Brandin Podziemski, which, given his current form — which we must assume is here until further notice — is perfectly fine.

This could work. It really could.

Get into the real tournament, post an upset and see where things take you.

(Houston. History says it takes you to Houston.)

Of course, it could also be the exact same movie we’ve been watching since October: small spurts of competence followed by streaks of ineptitude that make you want to take up a strange new hobby in the time you used to spend watching basketball.

But the mood is undeniably better. The team is playing harder. I have seen actual, non-sarcastic smiles since the trade deadline.

Is this a title team? Please. Let’s be serious.

But is it a team that can take an unsellable, dreary start to the season and turn it into something worthwhile? Something entertaining? Sure.

Naturally, all this forward thinking begs the question: Where is this all going? What is the long-term plan here?

To which I say only one thing: Be quiet.

That sounds like a problem for the summer. Stop harshing our newfound mellow.

The Warriors are winging it, baby.

No expectations. No repercussions. Just vibes.

Let the chips fall where they may.