LOS ANGELES — Speaking for the first time since last week’s Southern California wildfires forced him and his family to evacuate their homes, LeBron James acknowledged Wednesday that the fires, which have burned 60 square miles and killed at least 25 people, have taken an emotional toll.

"I have several dear friends who lost their homes in Palisades," James said after the Los Angeles Lakers' 117-108 victory over the Miami Heat. "Obviously, my heart goes out to all the families, not just in Palisades but all of Los Angeles County and all the surrounding areas, because of the fires... It's a lot of emotions. It's a little uncomfortable. Just for me personally. As far as I'm concerned, I'm already off work.

"I've just moved on completely for obvious reasons but hopefully things are under control or continue to be under control. Hopefully at some point we can start to move forward and move on and put this behind us and rebuild our city and rebuild this A beautiful city.”

His team also doesn't look like the team that was still building momentum just a few weeks ago, winning eight of 11 games and trading for coveted 3-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith. Dorian Finney-Smith) to bolster the lineup.

Los Angeles had lost three in a row and trailed the Heat by 12 points at halftime, and James checked his phone in the locker room at halftime.

A family friend sent him a video of a young girl wearing a replica James No. 23 jersey sitting courtside and getting emotional when the Lakers star greeted her in the first quarter.

"Thank God I was actually looking at my phone during halftime, otherwise I wouldn't have seen her reaction when I waved to her in the first half," James said after the game. "I waved to her and I just went back to playing. So, having that connection with someone and them being able to have that reaction, I think that's what it's all about. And I always try to make it so that a kid can A role model to look up to...trying to make them proud and want to come see me play, or if they can't see me play, hopefully they can do some of the things that I do off the court."

Maybe this is the connection James needs to rekindle.

After halftime, he scored 15 of his 22 points, including seven consecutive points in the fourth quarter to extend the Lakers' lead from two points with 3:51 left. With 9 points and 1 minute and 52 seconds left, the Lakers continued to defeat Miami.

"His comfort level in finishing basketball games was obviously very high," said Lakers coach J.J. Redick, one of James' friends who lost his home in Pacific Palisades.

The Lakers lost 126-102 on Monday in their first game after a six-day layoff due to a fire and were trailed by 33 points in the second half by the San Antonio Spurs. Redick said that during shootarounds in preparation for the Heat game, he challenged the entire team to provide better leadership in their own ways. Los Angeles responded with a team effort, and James was one of six players to score 14 or more points in the win.

James said he hopes Los Angeles can take some positives from the Lakers' performance against Miami and going forward.

“I hope we can go out there and play the way we played tonight — not the way we played against Spurs — but the way we played tonight and hopefully in the city over the next few months or years. Before we resume, there will be a sense of hope, pride and excitement for us as a Lakers organization and for the players who play for the Lakers," James said. "Sports always give people a chance to forget for a moment everything they may have been through. We are a big part of the Los Angeles community - there are many other sports teams, but we know how the Lakers are for the community. That’s important – hopefully we can provide that for a lot of families.”

After the final buzzer sounded, James walked straight to the girl sitting courtside, and she and her family left the arena. He took off an "I Promise" wristband and put it on the girl's wrist before squatting on one knee so that his 6-foot-9 frame would fit right next to her as they posed for the photo.

"I think it's something she'll never forget," James said. "I'm happy to be a part of her life now, it was a small moment but a bigger moment. Hopefully she can brag about it in school."