The American white ibis struts along the Florida coast and the Everglades like they own the region – and rightly so. You can see these proud and very territorial birds defending their nests and display sites with an intensity that suits them, lunging their long orange beaks at all intruders, foreign and domestic to the area. They snap bills, lunge, grab and bite their opponents’ wings and heads.

This kind of intensity and swagger is fitting for a bird that symbolizes both danger and optimism, as well as survival. According to Native American folklore, the ibis is the last to seek shelter before a hurricane and the first to come out afterward.

In some ways, the Golden State Warriors are just like those big, bold and proud ibises running the marshes of Florida. They have gone through the hurricanes of inexplicable losses, uncertainty at the trade deadline and injuries, and they are, at 29-26, in the West’s eighth playoff position, 4.5 games back of the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot. Playing without Stephen Curry – who could return soon from a runner’s knee injury – and Jimmy Butler – who is out for the year with a torn ACL – left them at a disadvantage in most matchups, but they have been scrapping and clawing to remain firmly in the mix without their stars.

In the games leading into the All-Star break, the shorthanded Warriors went on a 25-7 run to upset the Phoenix Suns, pulled off a comeback from 17 down against Memphis and gave San Antonio everything they had until the Spurs went on a run to win just before the break. Here’s how they’ve navigated the five games since Curry went out.

Offense by committee with stable defense

Without Curry and Butler, the Warriors’ offensive struggles were inevitable. The stars are the only players on this roster who can effectively create opportunities for themselves and for others. Without them, scoring has suffered.

In the first halves of the games in this stretch, the offense has been brutally inefficient and sparse. The lack of scoring and the senseless turnovers are the main reasons Golden State trailed early by double digits to Phoenix and went into the third quarter down 17 to a tanking Grizzlies team.

What is the second-half adjustment? It’s a lot of zone coverage that forces turnovers. Currently ranked 10th in the league in defensive rating, the Warriors have been leaning into this strength to get them through this stretch.

By locking in defensively, the Warriors have been able to find a rhythm offensively, where on any given night, they find offense from random places.

Against the Spurs, Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton and Moses Moody each scored 17 points and Brandin Podziemski followed up with 16 of his own. The collective effort on both sides of the ball was needed and required to get through these games.

More traditional lineups

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is notorious for trotting out unorthodox multi-guard lineups. He plays these lineups for better spacing, theoretical skill and speed to counter larger lineups. More often than not this season, those multi-guard lineups yielded poor results.

Now, without Curry and Butler, Kerr is forced to pivot to traditional and conservative lineups. Against Phoenix and the Lakers, for example, the starters were Melton, Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Green, and Moody. In his limited minutes, Melton at the point provides consistent ball handling and complements Green defensively. Santos provides more size to a team that lacks it.

This particular lineup has been both serviceable and effective, with an offensive rating of 116.9 and a defensive rating of 103.0, good for a net rating of +13.9. All 32 minutes the lineup has played have been since Curry went out.

While Green and Melton are the anchors of this lineup, the emergence of Santos has been key.

Within the context of a healthy roster, Santos would have spot minutes either in a pinch or in garbage time. In that role, he has provided high energy and hustle. Now with more minutes, Santos’ energy and hustle remains and that same energy has solidified his case in being in the rotation permanently. Moving forward, Santos should be paired with Green in lineup combinations. While their impact on offense is small, they can thrive on defense.

Reinforcements on the way

Curry is expected to return to the lineup sometime after the All-Star break and newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis is expected to make his debut. The hope is that the Warriors could make a post-All-Star run similar to last season when they acquired Butler at the deadline.

Theoretically, the addition of Porzingis provides size, auxiliary scoring and floor spacing in key lineups. Keeping him relatively healthy is the caveat. In addition to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome – a nervous system condition that has kept him out – Porzingis is continuing to rehab his Achilles. He has been participating in some on-court work, and the Warriors are expected to be cautious with him as they continue to be with Melton in his return to action after last season’s ACL tear.

With a healthier roster, the Warriors will have an opportunity to push for the playoffs.  How far they can go is to be determined.

The Warriors survived the season’s storms so far. With the ingenuity shown over the week before the All-Star break and the impending returns of Curry and Porzingis, they can strut into the playoffs like those ibis with the grit and fight to match.