Spurs start Ginobili in what may be his final NBA game

In what may mark the end of an era for the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, coach Gregg Popovich elected to start veteran guard Manu Ginobili in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors.

He promptly scored the game's first points.

There is a good chance Ginobili, who turns 40 in July, will retire at the conclusion of the Spurs' season - they trail the series 3-0 going into Monday. He chose to return for this campaign after much thought last summer.

Ginobili's role the last three seasons has been exclusively off the bench as a sixth man. Monday's start was his first in any game since March 14, 2014. He last started a playoff contest in 2013.