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James understood his historic run of scoring in double figures was threatened. At the decisive instant, however, it didn't concern him.

The right decision meant distributing the ball – and he executed. With that selfless act, the legendary streak finished.

LeBron's unprecedented streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten ended on Thursday night, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with eight points during the Los Angeles Lakers' close win against the Toronto Raptors. He made the clutch helper, finding Rui Hachimura to hit a triple to win the game.

“Nothing,” James replied in response about the streak ending. “The team got the victory.”

An Unselfish Play Delivers Victory

LeBron had the chance to attempted to win the game – while also extending the streak – with the last shot, but he chose to pass to his teammate in the left corner. Rui connected, and James exulted triumphantly.

“Just playing the game the right way. Make the smart play,” James noted. “That’s just been my M.O.. It's how I was instructed the game. I’ve done that for two decades.”

“LeBron is acutely aware of how many points he's scored at all times,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play like he’s done throughout his career.”

The Run's Final Moments

LeBron checked back into the game one last time at just over five minutes left, the result along with the historic run on the line. He had six points on 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

He scored with under two minutes remaining to knot the score and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have gotten him into double figures.

He passed up one more attempt – but could have. A teammate found him as time wound down, yet LeBron decided to make the pass instead.

The spirits of the game, if you approach it the proper way, they will bless you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at an Unparalleled Run

James's streak started back in January 2007. It was, by far the most extended double-digit streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem had 787 such games, and Karl Malone recorded at 575.

“He’s such a pass-first superstar,” noted teammate a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing the sport. He could have shot but because of the player he is and his personality off the court, he chose the pass, dished to Hachimura and we won the game.”

Reaching double digits was usually an afterthought well before the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had reached ten points by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions prior to Thursday.

However, two of those rare games below ten points through three quarters had happened just days before: He had nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks on 28 November, followed by six points before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. The very next outing, it finished – but he still rejoiced all the same.

I only ever make the best play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James declared. “You make the unselfish play, the basketball gods consistently rewarding me.”