SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker crouched near a chair opposite San Antonio's starters for a late timeout, barking out commands to make sure everyone was on the same page offensively and defensively.

"Just make sure we're ready," Parker said.

The sequence in Game 3 of San Antonio's matchup at Oklahoma City in the 2016 Western Conference semifinals culminated in a 100-96 Spurs win and 2-1 series lead.

And while Parker turned in a vintage performance with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists in that victory, Spurs fans should prepare to see fewer scoring outbursts and more vocal leadership and playmaking from the 34-year-old guard. San Antonio's brass wants Parker to function more as a facilitator in the mold of such players as John Stockton and Jason Kidd, stars who sacrificed points for overall team production throughout their careers.

"It's been great," Parker said of his changing role. "I love my role, and I'll try to do the best I can this year to keep winning games. You know, we won 67 games last year. We’ll try to do the same thing and go further in the playoffs. As long as [coach Gregg Popovich] is happy, that’s my main job here. I don’t care if people don’t understand my role or all this stuff I have to do now.”

In the past, Parker earned recognition as one of the league’s top scoring point guards, but he has since become more of a game manager whose responsibilities now mostly entail setting up the club’s younger offensive threats, such as Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.

For three straight seasons, Parker’s scoring average has gradually fallen; it's a far cry from 2012-13, when the Frenchman averaged 20.3 points per game. Parker finished last season at 11.9 PPG, his lowest rate since 2001-02, his rookie season.

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As Parker has aged, San Antonio’s offense has gradually moved away from relying on his ability to penetrate. Instead, the Spurs have featured more post-ups and isolations on the wing. That likely will continue this season. The Spurs used Parker on 21.2 percent of their offensive plays last season, his lowest usage rate since his rookie season, and down from 24.5 percent in 2014-15.

Interestingly, despite Parker developing over the years into a more accurate outside shooter (better than 40 percent from 3-point range for two consecutive seasons), his 65 attempts from 3-point range last season represent his fewest since the 2011-12 season.

Leonard joined the Spurs during that 2011-12 season, and he remembers Parker toting most of the load on offense.

At the time, Parker was “very aggressive on the offensive end,” Leonard said. “[It was] just him trying to score a lot of points, just really carrying us. We didn’t have the talent level that we have now, and as he’s slowed down, Pop has given him a different role.”

Parker has graciously accepted it.

“He’s done that more and more,” Popovich said. “He’s done a great job, just like David [Robinson] did for Tim [Duncan] and Tim did for Manu [Ginobili] and Tony. Now they’re realizing the ball needs to go in different places, and Tony is finding out he’s pretty darned skilled at it. He’s been really great in practice at finding open people.”

Ginobili, 39, has experienced a similar role change, but he looks forward to seeing how Parker develops given the new responsibilities.

“Yeah, it’s a transition that everyone goes through with years and with experience, and the addition of new, younger talent,” Ginobili said. “He's understood it, and he's done it really well. He, of course, at the beginning is going to have some ups and downs, and sometimes even some frustration. But I think he went past that, and we are looking forward to seeing him mature in that aspect and keep going but in different role -- not in the one where we need 20 [points] and 10 [assists] from him.”

It would seem natural for a six-time NBA All-Star and four-time champion such as Parker to resist such a transition. But having watched similar changes with Robinson, Duncan and Ginobili over the years, Parker appears to be prepared.

“It’s hard to explain the way I felt, but for sure I think my role is even bigger [now] on the leadership thing,” Parker said. Now, the key is to spread “the Spurs mentality and the way we play: unselfish, sharing the ball, only caring about winning, and winning championships. That was the best thing about Timmy when I first came in, [him] showing all of us how to do it.”

As part of this transition, Parker said he has studied Stockton, Kidd and Steve Nash, all veterans who “were still efficient” as they aged into their mid-to-late 30s.

“I always study everybody,” Parker said. “You know, I’m a big student of the game. So as everybody gets older and further in their careers, you just have to adapt. I’m lucky that we have a lot of great players on the team. Of course, you can pick up stuff from everybody. You can learn from everybody and see what fits in your game. I'm just trying to do what Pop wants, and if he wants me to play like that, that's all I care about: winning, and winning championships. At the end of the day, if I can win a couple of more before I retire, I will be very happy.”