Gregg Popovich did not coach Game 3 of the Spurs-Warriors N.B.A. playoff series on Thursday night after his wife’s death.

Erin Popovich died at 67, the Spurs announced on Wednesday. She had been married to Gregg for 40 years, and they had two children and four grandchildren. A cause of death was not reported, but she had been ill for some time. The Popoviches met when Gregg was an assistant coach at Air Force and Erin was the daughter of a team trainer.

Following a 110-97 loss to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, the Spurs are down three games to none and are one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs. One of Popovich’s assistants, Ettore Messina, coached the team for Game 3 in San Antonio.

N.B.A. players rallied around Popovich on Wednesday and Thursday.

Popovich, 69, is one of the most successful and respected coaches in N.B.A. history. In addition to the five championships the team has won, he is known for his wry and combative style with reporters and his strong left-of-center political views.