🔗 Share this article

LeBron James was aware his historic streak of reaching double digits was threatened. In that crucial moment, however, it was not his focus.

The smart move involved passing the rock – and he executed. Consequently, his remarkable run finished.

LeBron's astounding run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten was snapped this past Thursday, when basketball's greatest scorer finished with eight points in the Lakers' 123-120 triumph versus Toronto. He made the clutch helper, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura for a triple to win the game.

“None,” James said when asked about the streak ending. “The team got the victory.”

An Unselfish Choice Seals the Game

LeBron had the chance to attempted to win the contest – and preserved his record – with the last shot, instead, he decided to dish the ball to his teammate on the wing. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron raised his arms immediately.

“Just playing basketball correctly. Make the right play,” James explained. That has always been how I operate. That’s how I was taught the game. I’ve done that for two decades.”

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

The Run's Final Moments

He returned to the contest for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome along with the historic run on the line. He had six points from 3-of-15 shooting then.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to level the contest but then missed a shot with one minute to go which could have gotten him to double digits.

He avoided taking one more attempt – but could have. Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron chose to dish it off instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it correctly, they often bless you,” Redick stated.

A Look Back at a Staggering Streak

This incredible run started over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the longest such streak in NBA history: MJ previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787, and The Mailman had the fourth-longest run at 575.

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

“He’s just playing the sport. He could have shot but given the player he is and just who he is off the court, he made the team play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”

Getting to ten points was usually an afterthought long before the fourth quarter began. During James’s streak, he had reached double figures by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

However, two of those unusual games below ten points through three quarters had occurred in the last week: He recorded nine points going into the fourth against Dallas last week, followed by six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. One game later, it finished – yet he was celebrating all the same.

“I always just make the correct play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James said. When you make the smart play, the game gods consistently giving back to me.”