🔗 Share this article

LeBron James was aware his incredible streak of reaching double digits was at risk. At the decisive instant, however, it was not his focus.

The smart move was to pass the ball – and he executed. Following that play, the legendary streak was over.

James's astounding streak of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season double-digit scoring performances was snapped on Thursday night, when the league's career points king had only eight total points during the Lakers' close victory over Toronto. He made the decisive pass, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to knock down a triple as time expired.

“Nothing,” James replied after being questioned about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Selfless Play Seals the Game

James could have tried to secure the game – and preserved the streak – on the final possession, yet he opted to dish the ball to Hachimura in the left corner. Rui connected, with LeBron exulted immediately.

“Just playing basketball the proper way. Make the correct play,” James explained. That is how I operate. That’s how I was instructed to play. I’ve done that my whole career.”

He is fully cognizant of his point total he has during a game,” commented the team's head coach the coach. “He did it as he has done countless times.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

He returned to the contest for the final time with under five and a half minutes to go, the win and the streak on the line. At that stage, he had six points on 3 for 15 from the field then.

He managed a basket with under two minutes remaining to level the contest but then missed a 14-footer at one minute to go that might have pushed him into double figures.

He passed up one more attempt – 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 spirits of the game, if you do it the proper way, they tend to bless you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Staggering Record

This incredible run began on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the longest streak of its kind the league has ever seen: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list with 575.

“He’s such an unselfish player,” noted Lakers center a fellow Laker.

“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 chose the pass, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”

Reaching double digits had long been an afterthought long before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had achieved double figures entering the fourth over twelve hundred times prior to Thursday.

Yet two of those unusual games below ten points through three quarters took place recently: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, followed by six points before the fourth quarter versus the Suns on Monday night.

LeBron was able to preserve the record in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it concluded – yet he was celebrating all the same.

“I always just make the best play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James affirmed. “You make the unselfish play, the sports deities forever rewarding me.”