🔗 Share this article

LeBron James was aware his monumental streak of scoring in double figures was threatened. At the decisive instant, however, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision meant distributing the rock – and he executed. With that selfless act, his remarkable run was over.

LeBron's staggering streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points concluded this past Thursday, as basketball's greatest scorer finished with a mere eight points in the Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He provided the decisive pass, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to knock down a triple at the buzzer.

“None,” James said after being questioned on the record concluding. “We won.”

A Team-First Choice Delivers Victory

James could have attempted to win the contest – and extended his record – with the last shot, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to Rui in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, and James celebrated immediately.

You have to play the game the right way. Make the correct play,” James explained. “That’s just been my M.O.. That’s how I was instructed the game. That's what I've done my whole career.”

James is acutely aware of how many points he's scored at all times,” commented the team's head coach the coach. He made the play just as he has so many times.”

The Streak's End Game

James re-entered the contest one last time with just over five minutes left, the win and the streak both hanging in the balance. At that stage, he had a mere six points from 3 for 15 from the field then.

He managed a basket at 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a mid-range jumper at one minute to go that might have pushed him into double figures.

He avoided taking another shot – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves found him as time wound down, yet LeBron decided to make the pass instead.

“The basketball gods, when you play it the proper way, they will reward you,” Redick added.

The History of an Unparalleled Record

The record commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the greatest double-digit streak the league has ever seen: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem recorded 787, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list at 575.

He is such a pass-first superstar,” remarked teammate a fellow Laker.

He focuses on playing hoops. He could have shot but due to who he is on the court and just who he is as a person, he executed the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and secured the game.”

Scoring in double figures had long been a formality well before the final period. Throughout his run, he had reached the 10-point mark entering the fourth 1,266 times coming into the contest.

But two of those rare games below ten points after three periods had occurred recently: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter against Dallas on 28 November, followed by six points before the fourth quarter versus the Suns on Monday night.

James managed to preserve the record in the Phoenix game. One game later, it was over – and he celebrated anyway.

My focus is to make the best play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James said. If you make the smart play, the basketball gods forever rewarding me.”