When Anthony Davis described watching the flames approaching his family home, he didn’t sound like a star player on the Lakers.

He sounded like a concerned father.

When JJ Redick recalled Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul of the San Antonio Spurs presenting his sons with autographed game-worn jerseys to rebuild memorabilia collections that were lost in the Palisades fire, he didn’t sound like the coach of one of Los Angeles’ signature franchises.

He sounded like a grateful parent.

The Lakers returned to work on Monday, playing their first home game since wildfires engulfed Southern California.

The players and coaches didn’t talk about a return to normalcy because they knew there were people for whom life would never be normal again. They knew how powerless they were against this force of nature, Davis speaking about joy that sports can generate, only to add an important qualifier: “Even if it’s temporary.”

They wanted this night to mean something, but what?

“Win, lose, draw, this game is over and everything’s still going on in the world,” Davis said. “Bittersweet in a sense because we still have people who are dealing with real-life situations and we get to go out here and play basketball.”

Davis recounted what it was like first hearing about the Palisades fire when the Lakers were on the road for a game against the Dallas Mavericks.

He said he thought about his wife and children and “you start freaking out.”

Davis said he heard about Redick’s rental home burning down.

“Then my wife started telling me about some of my daughter’s classmates, their families losing homes. And my daughter, where she goes [to] ride horses was gone. And some of my son’s classmates and how their houses are gone. Started getting tough, started getting emotional.”

Davis later saw the Palisades fire close in on his home. He and his family evacuated.

“Obviously, a tough time for our city,” Davis said. “One thing we found out through the course of COVID is that sports kind of brings joy back to people, even if it’s temporary.”

Redick shared a similar wish.

Of how the Lakers players and staffers supported him after his home was incinerated, Redick said, “There’s real strength in that. And that’s the sort of receiving strength. Then it’s our job to go give strength and give hope and give joy.”

He also received support from Paul, his former teammate on the Clippers who he said was in his “inner-inner circle of brothers.” Redick revealed he received a call from Paul before their game on Monday.

Paul told him he and Wembanyama would give his sons their jerseys “whether you win or we win.” Paul kept his promise. When the Spurs completed their 126-102 victory over the Lakers, Paul walked over to the courtside seats occupied by 10-year-old Knox and 8-year-old Kai, with the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama a couple of giraffe-length strides behind them.

“He’s well aware they’re huge NBA fans,” Redick said. “I ran a podcast out of my home for two years and all the players would come though and they would get either a jersey or a card signed. They had a collection of jerseys and cards and they lost all of that.”

Paul said he considered Redick to be a part of his family. He said of Redick’s children, “I remember when those kids were born. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for them.”

The Spurs were also affected by the fires, as they arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday for two games against the Lakers, the first of which was scheduled on Saturday and was postponed. They switched hotels because of the Palisades fire.

“We can definitely feel it’s a stressful time,” Wembanyama said. “You can feel a lot of people are directly impacted by it.”

Paul was one of them.

The 39-year-old’s family continues to live in Los Angeles and was forced to evacuate from their home.

He said his family was “well,” in part because he happened to be back in town.

“The way God works sometimes,” he said.

Paul’s extended family who lives in the area?

“It’s been a tough week or so.” Paul said.

Paul and Davis shared their admiration for first responders, with Davis saying Lakers players have talked about inviting some of them to Crypto.com Arena to watch games from a suite.

However, Davis cautioned, “The fight isn’t over.”

“I’m sure as you all know,” Paul said, “we’re all getting ready for the winds to pick up again.”