The San Antonio Spurs had to play with heavy hearts in a pivotal Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors and while they managed to stay at striking range within the first quarter, they ultimately were bested by a team showing a steady pressure on both ends of the court.

The Spurs took on the defending champions without their long-tenured leader in Gregg Popovich, who is grieving the loss of his wife, Erin, following a long fight with an illness.

“It wasn't easy. Everybody can kind of empathize and imagine losing somebody so close to you for that amount of time,” said Green after a 110-97 defeat at the AT&T Center. “The very few times I got a chance to encounter her, it was amazing. She had a presence. You guys are intimidated by Pop and probably scared of him, but her presence is probably the total opposite of that; just a joy to be around, lightened the room up and made you smile, and made everybody feel comfortable.”

Green noted the contrast that Steve Kerr had mentioned early in the day, as Erin Popovich provided that balance Pop needed at times throughout the season.

“Pop probably makes you guys a little uncomfortable. It's tough. It just puts things into perspective of how it was a basketball game,” added Green. “We were obviously competing and fighting, but it's a basketball game. There's bigger things going on in life.”

This is far from the only tragedy the Spurs have gone through in the 2017-18 season, just the latest to take place in likely the most pivotal of moments.

“We had a tough year,” said Green. “Joffrey [Lauvergne] just had a family member pass. Kyle [Anderson] had a family member pass. Rasual Butler earlier this year — a lot of guys knew him well — and now Pop. It just puts things into perspective. As much as we want to win, there are other things in life, bigger things that are more important.”

The Spurs will have another chance to pull one back for the Popovich family in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.