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The Lakers star knew his historic streak of putting up 10+ points was threatened. At the decisive instant, however, it was not his focus.

The right decision involved passing the ball – which is exactly what he did. Consequently, his remarkable run came to an end.

LeBron's astounding streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season double-digit scoring performances concluded during a recent game, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with eight points in the Lakers' close triumph versus the Toronto Raptors. He provided the decisive pass, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot as time expired.

“None,” James replied when asked on the record concluding. “We won.”

An Unselfish Decision Seals the Win

He might have tried to secure the game – and extended the streak – with the last shot, instead, he decided to pass to his teammate in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron exulted triumphantly.

You have to play the game the proper way. You always make the right play,” James remarked. “That’s just been my M.O.. That is the way I was taught the game. I've played that way throughout my career.”

He is acutely aware exactly how many points he has at any point,” stated the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted as he has done countless times.”

The Record's Final Moments

LeBron checked back into the contest for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome and his personal record up for grabs. He had six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He got a bucket with under two minutes remaining to tie the game then missed a mid-range jumper at one minute to go which could have gotten him to ten points.

He didn’t take another shot – even though he had a chance. A teammate gave James the ball with a few seconds left, however, James chose to dish it off instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, when you play it the right way, they often reward you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at an Unparalleled Run

The record commenced back in January 2007. It stood as the greatest such streak in NBA history: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem recorded 787, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list of 575 games.

LeBron is such a team-oriented player,” noted Lakers center a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing the sport. He could have shot but because of his nature as a player and his personality as a person, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and claimed the game.”

Reaching double digits had long been a guarantee long before the start of fourth quarters. Over the course of the record, he had attained the 10-point mark by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions prior to Thursday.

However, two of those rare single-digit games after three periods had occurred recently: He had nine entering the final quarter against Dallas on 28 November, and then had six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns on Monday night.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive against the Suns. The very next outing, it concluded – yet he was celebrating anyway.

“I always just make the right play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James said. “You make the unselfish play, the sports deities forever giving back to me.”