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James understood his historic run of putting up 10+ points was at risk. In that crucial moment, though, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision meant distributing the rock – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, his remarkable run came to an end.

James's staggering streak of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with 10+ points ended this past Thursday, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only a mere eight points during the Lakers' close victory over the Toronto Raptors. He provided the decisive pass, feeding Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot at the buzzer.

“Nothing,” James stated after being questioned about the streak ending. “The team got the victory.”

A Selfless Decision Seals the Win

James could have attempted to win the contest – and extended his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to make the extra pass to his teammate in the left corner. Hachimura sank it, prompting James raised his arms triumphantly.

“Just playing basketball the right way. You always make the correct play,” James remarked. “That’s just been how I operate. That is the way I was taught the game. I've played that way my whole career.”

He is fully cognizant exactly how many points he's scored at any point,” stated Lakers coach the coach. He made the play just as he has countless times.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

He returned to the floor one last time with 5:23 remaining, the result and his personal record both hanging in the balance. At that stage, he had only six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to knot the score but then missed a mid-range jumper at one minute to go that might have taken him to ten points.

He passed up one more attempt – even though he had a chance. A teammate found him with a few seconds left, yet LeBron chose to dish it off instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it correctly, they often repay you,” Redick stated.

A Look Back at a Staggering Streak

The record commenced over eighteen years ago. It stood as the most extended double-digit streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” noted Lakers center a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing hoops. He could have shot but due to his nature as a player and just who he is as a person, he executed the pass, found Rui and claimed the game.”

Scoring in double figures was usually a formality long before the final period. During James’s streak, he had achieved ten points entering the fourth over twelve hundred times before this game.

But two of those rare single-digit games after three periods had happened in the last week: He had nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks on 28 November, followed by six going into the fourth versus the Suns on Monday night.

James managed to extend the streak against the Suns. One game later, it finished – and he celebrated anyway.

I only ever make the best play. That’s automatic, regardless of outcome,” James declared. If you make the unselfish play, the sports deities consistently giving back to me.”