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James understood his monumental run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. In that crucial moment, though, it was not his focus.

The right decision was to pass the ball – so he did. Consequently, the unprecedented record finished.

LeBron's staggering run of over 1,200 straight regular-season outings scoring at least ten ended this past Thursday, as basketball's greatest scorer finished with eight points during the Lakers' 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He provided the game-winning assist, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a triple at the buzzer.

“Zero,” James said in response on the record concluding. “The team got the victory.”

An Unselfish Decision Delivers the Win

James could have attempted to win the contest – and extended his record – in the closing seconds, instead, he decided to pass to his teammate in the left corner. Hachimura sank it, and James exulted with his hands in the air.

“Just playing basketball correctly. Make the smart play,” James remarked. “That’s just been how I operate. That’s how I learned to play. I’ve done that my whole career.”

James is fully cognizant of his point total he's scored during a game,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play like he’s done so many times.”

The Streak's Final Moments

He returned to the game one last time with 5:23 remaining, the result and his personal record on the line. At that stage, he had a mere six points from 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

He managed a basket with under two minutes remaining to level the contest and missed a mid-range jumper at 1:01 left which could have gotten him to double digits.

He didn’t take one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. A teammate gave James the ball as time wound down, but James decided to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, when you play it correctly, they will reward you,” the coach concluded.

The History of a Monumental Run

This incredible run began on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the longest double-digit streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and The Mailman recorded of 575 games.

LeBron is such an unselfish player,” noted teammate a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing hoops. He had the opportunity but due to his nature as a player and his character as a person, he executed the pass, dished to Hachimura and secured the game.”

Reaching double digits had typically been an afterthought early in the start of fourth quarters. During James’s streak, he had reached ten points by the beginning of the final quarter over twelve hundred times before this game.

Yet two such single-digit games through three quarters took place recently: He recorded nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks on 28 November, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix earlier in the week.

James managed to extend the streak against the Suns. The very next outing, it concluded – and he celebrated regardless.

I only ever make the right play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James said. When you make the unselfish play, the sports deities consistently returning the favor.”