LOS ANGELES – For the first time since wildfires in Southern California forced him and his family to evacuate their home last week, LeBron James acknowledged Wednesday that the fires – which spanned 60 square miles and killed at least 25 people took a mental toll.

“I have some dear friends who lost their homes in the Palisades,” James said after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 117-108 victory over the Miami Heat. “Of course, my heart goes out to all the families, not just in the Palisades, but throughout LA County and all of the surrounding areas because of the fire. Personally, I was gone.

“For obvious reasons I was completely out of it at the moment but hopefully things are under control or continue to be under control. And hopefully at some point we can start to move forward and move forward, put it behind us and rebuild, rebuild our city, this beautiful city.”

His team also looked nothing like the group that seemed to be gaining momentum just a few weeks ago, winning eight of 11 games and bolstering its roster by trading for coveted 3-and-D winger Dorian Finney-Smith.

LA had lost three straight games and trailed the Heat by 12 points at halftime when James checked his phone in the locker room at halftime.

A family friend sent him a clip of a young girl sitting courtside in a replica No. 23 James jersey, overcome with emotion as the Lakers star greeted her in the first quarter.

“Thank God I actually looked at my phone at halftime, otherwise I wouldn’t have even seen the reaction when I waved to her in the first half,” James said after the game. “I waved at her and then went back to playing. I think it’s about creating that connection with someone where they can respond that way. And I’ve always tried to be a role model and someone for kids to look up to…Try to make them proud and get them to come see me play, or if they’re not able, me Seeing them play, hopefully some of the things I do off the ground continue to inspire them.”

Maybe it was the connection James needed to re-establish.

He scored 15 of his 22 points after halftime – including seven straight in the fourth quarter, extending LA’s lead from two with 3:51 left to nine with 1:52 left – and the Lakers were able to beat Miami.

“His security at the end of the basketball game is obviously very high,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick – one of James’ friends who lost their home in the Pacific Palisades.

On Monday, the Lakers’ first game back after a six-day break because of the fires, LA lost 126-102 and were outscored by 33 points in the second half by the San Antonio Spurs. During shootaround to prepare for the Heat game, Redick said he challenged his entire team to provide better leadership in their own way. LA responded with a team effort, with James being one of six players to score 14 points or more in the win.

James said the Lakers’ performance against Miami and more games like it in the future should be a positive for Los Angeles.

“I hope that we go out on the floor and play the way we played tonight — not the way we played against San Antonio — but the way we played tonight and hopefully in the next few months or whatever “Until the city recovers, we as a Lakers franchise and the players who play for the Lakers provide a sense of hope, pride and excitement,” James said. “Sport has always given people the opportunity to temporarily forget what they have been through. And we are such a big part of the LA community – along with many other sports teams, but we know how.” “It’s important that the Lakers are important to the community – hopefully we can offer that to a lot of families.”

After the final buzzer, James ran straight to the girl sitting on the sidelines before she and her family left the arena. He took off one of his “I Promise” bracelets, wrapped it around the girl’s wrist and crouched on one knee so his 6-foot-1 frame fit into the frame next to her as they posed for a photo.

“I think it will be something that hopefully she will never forget,” James said. “I am happy to be a part of her life now and to experience this small but so big moment. And hopefully she’ll brag about it at school.”