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The Lakers star knew his incredible run of reaching double digits was in danger. When it mattered most, however, it didn't concern him.

The smart move meant distributing the ball – and he executed. Consequently, the legendary streak finished.

LeBron's staggering run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten concluded this past Thursday, as basketball's greatest scorer had only eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' close triumph versus Toronto. He provided the game-winning assist, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“Zero,” James said after being questioned about the streak ending. “We won.”

An Unselfish Decision Seals Victory

James could have sought to clinch the contest – and preserved his record – on the final possession, but he chose to dish the ball to Rui in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron celebrated triumphantly.

You have to play the game correctly. You always make the smart play,” James remarked. That is how I operate. That is the way I was instructed the game. That's what I've done my whole career.”

He is acutely aware of how many points he has at any point,” stated the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted as he has done throughout his career.”

The Record's Closing Chapter

He returned to the game one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and the streak up for grabs. His tally was only six points on a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He scored at 1:46 left to knot the score but then missed a 14-footer at 1:01 left that would have gotten him into double figures.

He passed up another shot – but could have. Austin Reaves passed him the ball as time wound down, yet LeBron opted to make the extra pass instead.

The spirits of the game, if you approach it the right way, they often repay you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Monumental Streak

James's streak began back in January 2007. It was, by far the greatest streak of its kind the league has ever seen: MJ previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run at 575.

“He’s such an unselfish player,” said teammate a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing hoops. He had the opportunity but given the player he is and just who he is as a person, he made the pass, found Rui and we won the victory.”

Reaching double digits had typically been a guarantee long before the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had achieved ten points by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions coming into the contest.

But two of those rare games below ten points after three periods had occurred in the last week: He had nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, followed by six points going into the fourth versus the Suns on Monday night.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. In the following contest, it concluded – yet he was celebrating regardless.

“I always just make the best play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James said. If you make the smart play, the sports deities are always giving back to me.”