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James understood his incredible streak of reaching double digits was threatened. When it mattered most, though, he wasn't bothered.

The smart move meant distributing the rock – and he executed. With that selfless act, the legendary streak was over.

LeBron's staggering run of over 1,200 straight regular-season double-digit scoring performances concluded this past Thursday, when basketball's greatest scorer finished with eight total points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the decisive pass, finding teammate Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-pointer to win the game.

“None,” James said when asked about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Team-First Play Delivers the Game

James could have sought to clinch the contest – and preserved the streak – on the final possession, yet he opted to pass to Rui in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron exulted immediately.

It's about playing the game the proper way. Make the smart play,” James remarked. That is my M.O.. That is the way I was instructed to play. I’ve done that for two decades.”

He is fully cognizant of how many points he has during a game,” said Lakers coach the coach. “He did it just as he has throughout his career.”

The Streak's Final Moments

He returned to the game one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the win and the streak on the line. At that stage, he had only six points on 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

He scored with 1:46 left to level the contest then missed a 14-footer with one minute to go which could have pushed him to double digits.

He passed up another shot – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves passed him the ball as time wound down, yet LeBron chose to dish it off instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, if you do it the proper way, they tend to reward you,” the coach concluded.

Reflecting on a Monumental Streak

James's streak commenced over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the greatest such streak in NBA history: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and The Mailman recorded of 575 games.

LeBron is such a team-oriented player,” remarked teammate a fellow Laker.

He focuses on playing the sport. The chance was there but due to who he is on the court and his character as a person, he chose the team play, passed it to Rui and secured the victory.”

Getting to ten points had typically been a formality long before the final period. Throughout his run, he had reached ten points by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions prior to Thursday.

But two of those rare games below ten points after three periods took place in the last week: He had nine points entering the final quarter against Dallas on 28 November, and then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. The very next outing, it concluded – yet he was celebrating all the same.

I only ever make the best play. That comes naturally, win, lose or draw,” James affirmed. When you make the unselfish play, the basketball gods are always returning the favor.”