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The Lakers star knew his incredible streak of putting up 10+ points was threatened. When it mattered most, though, it didn't concern him.

The smart move was to pass the basketball – which is exactly what he did. Following that play, his remarkable run was over.

LeBron's unprecedented streak of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points concluded on Thursday night, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with eight total points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He provided the game-winning assist, setting up Rui Hachimura to hit a three-pointer as time expired.

“None,” James replied in response about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Selfless Decision Delivers Victory

He might have attempted to win the game – and extended his record – with the last shot, but he chose to dish the ball to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura made the shot, and James celebrated immediately.

“Just playing basketball the proper way. Always make the correct play,” James explained. “That’s just been my M.O.. It's how I was instructed to play. That's what I've done for two decades.”

He is fully cognizant exactly how many points he's scored at all times,” stated Lakers coach JJ Redick. He made the play just as he has so many times.”

The Record's End Game

James re-entered the game one last time with just over five minutes left, the result along with the historic run on the line. At that stage, he had six points on 3-of-15 shooting then.

He scored with 1:46 left to level the contest but then missed a shot at one minute to go which could have gotten him to ten points.

He didn’t take another shot – but could have. Austin Reaves found him in the waning seconds, but James chose to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, when you play it the proper way, they will repay you,” Redick stated.

The History of an Unparalleled Run

The record commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the longest streak of its kind in professional basketball: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 such games, and The Mailman recorded at 575.

He is such a pass-first superstar,” remarked Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of his nature as a player and his character as an individual, he executed the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”

Scoring in double figures was usually an afterthought well before the final period. During James’s streak, he had reached double figures by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions prior to Thursday.

However, two of those rare single-digit games through three quarters took place in the last week: He had nine points entering the final quarter against Dallas on 28 November, followed by six points going into the fourth versus the Suns on Monday night.

LeBron was able to extend the streak in the Phoenix game. In the following contest, it finished – and he celebrated regardless.

“I always just make the right play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James affirmed. “You make the unselfish play, the basketball gods consistently returning the favor.”