WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- After collecting a hard-fought Game 4 win with the West Conference Finals at two games apiece against the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets star Chris Paul asked for unity of the city in Game 5 following a deadly Texas school shooting tragedy, local media reported on Wednesday.
"The city of Houston, we're going to need you," Paul said. "We're going to need you in Game 5. The city has been through a tough time with the things in Santa Fe. But, hopefully basketball can be a way that people can come and ease their minds if only for a second. Houston, we're coming home," Paul was quoted by the Houston Chronicle as saying on Wednesday.
Last Friday, a gunman shot and killed 10 people at the Santa Fe High School that's about an hour's drive away from the Toyota Center.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets are going to offer free Game 5 tickets to the high school and plan to have the Santa Fe High School choir sing the national anthem. Ribbons could be added to the Rockets uniforms for the game and shirts could be completed and approved in time to be worn before the game which is to take place on Thursday.
"First and foremost, aside from the playoffs that's going on, which is minor compared to what's taking place down in Santa Fe, I think our prayers go out to the victims and the families having to deal with that situation. We have a lot of fan support there. Those people come support us night in and night out, so this is very minor compared to what those people there are dealing with," Paul said on the day of the tragedy.
