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LeBron James was aware his incredible streak of reaching double digits was at risk. When it mattered most, though, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision meant distributing the basketball – so he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak finished.

James's astounding streak of over 1,200 straight regular-season double-digit scoring performances concluded on Thursday night, when basketball's greatest scorer was limited to eight total points during the Los Angeles Lakers' close victory over Toronto. He delivered the clutch helper, feeding Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“Zero,” James stated when asked on the record concluding. “We won.”

A Team-First Choice Secures Victory

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the contest – and extended the streak – with the last shot, instead, he decided to pass to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, prompting James exulted with his hands in the air.

It's about playing basketball the proper way. You always make the smart play,” James noted. That has always been my philosophy. It's how I learned the game. I’ve done that for two decades.”

He is acutely aware exactly how many points he's scored at any point,” commented Lakers coach the coach. He made the play as he has done throughout his career.”

The Streak's End Game

He returned to the contest one last time with under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and his personal record up for grabs. At that stage, he had a mere six points from a 3-for-15 performance then.

He scored with 1:46 left to tie the game but then missed a 14-footer at 1:01 left that would have gotten him to ten points.

He avoided taking one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves found him in the waning seconds, but James opted to make the pass instead.

“The basketball gods, when you play it correctly, they will bless you,” Redick stated.

Reflecting on a Monumental Run

The record commenced over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the most extended such streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787, and Karl Malone recorded with 575.

LeBron is such an unselfish player,” noted Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

He focuses on playing the game of basketball. The chance was there but because of the player he is and just who he is as a person, he executed the team play, passed it to Rui and secured the victory.”

Getting to ten points had typically been a guarantee early in the start of fourth quarters. Throughout his run, he had achieved the 10-point mark by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

However, two such single-digit games through three quarters had happened recently: He had nine entering the final quarter against Dallas last week, then had six going into the fourth versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive against the Suns. In the following contest, it was over – yet he was celebrating regardless.

My focus is to make the correct play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James said. “You make the right play, the basketball gods consistently rewarding me.”