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James understood his monumental run of putting up 10+ points was at risk. At the decisive instant, though, it was not his focus.

The right decision was to pass the rock – and he executed. Consequently, his remarkable run was over.

LeBron's staggering streak of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten was snapped on Thursday night, when the league's career points king had only eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' close win against the Toronto Raptors. He made the decisive pass, feeding Rui Hachimura to knock down a triple at the buzzer.

“None,” James said when asked on the record concluding. “The team got the victory.”

An Unselfish Choice Secures Victory

He might have tried to secure the contest – while also extending the streak – in the closing seconds, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to Rui on the wing. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron raised his arms immediately.

It's about playing the game correctly. Always make the correct play,” James explained. “That’s just been my philosophy. That is the way I was instructed the game. I've played that way for two decades.”

“LeBron is acutely aware exactly how many points he has at all times,” commented the team's head coach the coach. “He did it like he’s done countless times.”

The Run's Final Moments

He returned to the floor for the final time with 5:23 remaining, the win and the streak up for grabs. At that stage, he had six points on 3 for 15 from the field by that point.

He managed a basket with 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a mid-range jumper with 1:01 left that would have pushed him to double digits.

He passed up one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron opted to make the pass instead of shooting.

The basketball deities, if you do it the proper way, they will reward you,” Redick stated.

The History of a Staggering Record

The record began over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the longest double-digit streak in professional basketball: MJ previously held a streak of 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list with 575.

“He’s such a pass-first superstar,” remarked teammate Jake LaRavia.

He focuses on playing the sport. He could have shot but given his nature as a player and his character as a person, he executed the pass, found Rui and secured the victory.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been an afterthought well before the start of fourth quarters. During James’s streak, he had attained double figures by the beginning of the final quarter over twelve hundred times prior to Thursday.

But two such games below ten points through three quarters had occurred in the last week: He recorded nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

James managed to extend the streak in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it finished – yet he was celebrating regardless.

“I always just make the right play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James affirmed. When you make the unselfish play, the sports deities are always rewarding me.”