This roster change came very suddenly, with no word of it before the game.
Yet it was also perfectly understandable.
In the first three games, Popovich's starting lineup had not lasted more than five minutes.
Although that had to do with the strength gap between the two sides, continuing with that lineup would not have changed much.
Especially after so many off-court factors had been mixed into the previous game, yet still failed to alter the result.
So a change was a perfectly normal decision.
Of course, there was another reason as well.
Ginobili's Playing Time had decreased significantly this season, and he had more than once expressed thoughts of retirement to the media.
Even close friends like Tang Tian and Duncan knew that this might very well be Ginobili's final Playoffs game.
Popovich naturally knew it too.
Parker's situation was different, but his form had been poor and his contract was expiring. No one knew what his future would hold.
So Popovich's tactical deployment was not merely strategic; it was emotional as well.
This might very well be Parker and Ginobili's farewell game in Spurs uniforms.
And judging by the atmosphere in the arena, this tactical deployment was proving extremely effective.
After Duncan retired, Parker and Ginobili had rarely started together. This season, both had started very few games.
This starting lineup was an immense psychological boost for them. The glory of the past even stirred their souls.
In fact, it was not just the fans. The Spurs players looked different from how they had in the previous three games.
For them, Spurs culture ran deep, and the people who had created that culture were Popovich and GDP.
As a Former Spurs Player, Tang Tian could feel it too.
He had a premonition that tonight's game would be different