I think we're all aware of what happened down in Highlands Ranch today at the stem school.

That's a community that I live in.

And I know thoughts and prayers or never enough.

But, you know, 11 student was killed a were injured today and from myself, our team or organization, uh, our thoughts and prayers with all those families.

Students, Ah, school administrators, everybody that was there today.

It's a tragedy on the second thing I like to say is just a thank you to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department That was there, on top of it, in a matter of minutes on all the first responders that were there.

Ah, and allowing that not to become worse than it was.

But it's a shame my girls have been a lockout twice in the last month.

And, uh, I'm not a politician.

I don't have the answers, but something must change.

So I just want to make sure I acknowledged what happened today in my backyard.

Uh, and and all those families are on my mind.

Coach, turn the basketball after that.

But, uh, in the Siri's rebounding is been a huge edge for you guys.

And you guys who don't live work on the glass.

Uh, you haven't played any minutes without other Nicola or Mason on the floor.

Um, is there any sense with how you guys have struggled in Yokich is not on the floor of playing well, Sat mawr at five.

Um, you know, we could, you know, definitely.

Look at that man.

Um you know, I think when Paul is out there as a four with Mason in that second unit and with Nicola, I think he has a great advantage at the power forward position.

But, you know, obviously, when when you think about that second unit and to start that second and fourth quarter making sure we got off to good starts.

And, you know, if you know, if Paul playing the five is something that we feel could give us an advantage, we definitely do so but you know, to To to this series is very, very close.

A lot of basketball still to be played.

Um, And what will exhaust all avenue have to have continued success?

Coach of you, if you make was wondering how far away Did you live from the school?

Indeed.

You know, anybody was impacted.

And do you address the team about something like this night?

The school is literally two minutes from where I live, you know, right down Broadway and Islands Ranch.

Um, my, my wife and daughters No people, you know, as a coach, I'm somewhat of a recluse.

Um, but, you know, it's a close community and as's faras addressing our team, you know, I don't know if I will or not.

You know, sometimes you know, I want our players focussing on the game, especially right now, about a couple hours before we tip off.

But that's a, I think, a conversation and a subject, maybe on an off day.

And it's not just Highlands Ranch.

It's not just Colorado.

This is an epidemic on.

It continues to happen.

And that's a frustrating thing.

How do you stop it?

And, you know, again, you know, gun control laws, whatever it might be, I'm not a politician.

I don't want to sit up here in a soap box.

I just want everybody back in Highlands Ranch to know we're with you, and that's really important for them to know Michael.

I gets just a little bit more on this.

This may have happened when you were driving home from shoot around.

Maybe.

What was it like when you pulled in to your community?

Did you see a commotion or anything like that?

No.

You know, uh, when I come to the arena early in the morning, I'm here all day.

I don't go home.

Um, I only found out about I was in my office and I got a call from my wife, and she's one of told me about it.

And then the thing that makes you angry is that she's telling me how scared my daughters are in their schools texting her because they don't know what's going on.

Here is the lockout.

Where is this shooter?

No.

Is it at our school?

Some other school.

And, you know, when kids go to school, they should be going to school to learn, have fun, be with their friends, not worried about an active shooter.

So I mean, we're all like part of it.

All right?

We all have families.

Will have kids, nieces, nephews, whatever it is.

Um, it's just frustrating.

And it gets you angry because it hits home, and that's how I felt today.

So you guys have a huge game tonight, and by 8 30 I'm sure you'll be ready to go.

But is it harder to kind of turn his back to to the job?

Just with a day like that in your own backyard?

You know you have a job to do.

You know whether it's performing after losing a four overtime game or finding a way to get your mind back on your job after a tragedy in your hometown.

So, you know, for me yes, you have a heavy heart and you think about it.

But, um, I would not do a disservice to our players and our organization and our fans by allowing that to effect.

You know, how you prepare and how you perform tonight.

You know what we have a job to do, and these are scary times for everybody.

And you have to find a way to be mentally tough and get through it.

What One last thing on that, uh, somebody asked you about?

If you address the team, how do you and your wife address your Children on this?

That's a great question, kids you know, and it's something I haven't even really thought about.

You know, I'm texting my daughter, telling her she's gonna be OK.

I don't even know.

She will be OK s.

So, um, this is every parent's worst nightmare, you know?

And it's something that when you see your kids go to school in the morning, it's have a great day and just assume everything is gonna be all right.

And as we all know, it's not.

So you figure it out like a lot of people wondered whether in the cola would be able to bounce back from 65 minutes in Game three.

Right?

What did you make of how he bounced back?

And what is it about what he's done with his body and his, You know, his conditioning that has allowed him to defy what I think people's perception of him was from a conditioning stamp.

Yeah, and I think the perception is a key point, because when you look at Nicola, you know he's not the chiseled athlete, you know, he's not the strongest guy in the weight room.

Um, you know, the beach body type, whatever you wanna call it, but he puts a lot of time into his body into his diet.

And, um, you know that that the stereotype of him, I think was put, you know, put away and Game four.

How many guys could have come back from playing 65 minutes in a 68 minute game and get his fourth triple double of the playoffs?

Um, you know the guys remarkable, and he's an easy target.

But what I love about Nicola, he doesn't care, you know.

It goes out there and does his job.

This is his playoff debut, and I think he's been remarkable in every way.

You could be remarkable in his play, his his leadership, his emotion, Um, and we've been a team all year long.

This never use being tired as an excuse.

No excuses are readily available.

I'm tired.

We have four overtimes.

We all season long, and in my four years here we've been a team that instead of wasting energy and time, one excuses.

We find ways, we find resolutions and Nicole, I think, is a great example of that.

So no one really gave us a chance in that Game four.

But we in that locker and we believed.

We know how tough we are.

We know how resilient we are and, ah, it was great to see the team bond together and win in a very tough place to get a win after a tough for overtime game.