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James understood his historic run of putting up 10+ points was in danger. When it mattered most, however, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision meant distributing the rock – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, his remarkable run came to an end.

James's astounding run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points ended this past Thursday, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with a mere eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against Toronto. He provided the decisive pass, finding teammate Rui Hachimura for a three-point shot as time expired.

“None,” James said in response about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Selfless Decision Seals the Win

James could have attempted to win the contest – and extended his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to dish the ball to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron exulted triumphantly.

“Just playing basketball correctly. Always make the correct play,” James noted. “That’s just been how I operate. It's how I was taught to play. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

“LeBron is acutely aware exactly how many points he's scored at all times,” said the team's head coach the coach. “He did it just as he has countless times.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

James re-entered the game for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome along with the historic run up for grabs. At that stage, he had only six points from a 3-for-15 performance then.

He got a bucket at 1:46 left to tie the game then missed a 14-footer with one minute to go that would have gotten him to ten points.

He avoided taking one more attempt – even though he had a chance. A teammate passed him the ball with a few seconds left, yet LeBron opted to make the extra pass instead.

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

The History of a Staggering Streak

James's streak started back in January 2007. It was, by far the greatest such streak the league has ever seen: MJ had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone recorded of 575 games.

“He’s such an unselfish player,” remarked Lakers center a fellow Laker.

He simply plays the game of basketball. He could have shot but due to his nature as a player and his character as a person, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and we won the victory.”

Reaching double digits had long been a formality early in the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had reached double figures entering the fourth over twelve hundred times before this game.

Yet two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods took place recently: He had nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, then had six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in extend the streak in the Phoenix game. One game later, it concluded – and he celebrated regardless.

My focus is to make the right play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James affirmed. If you make the right play, the game gods consistently returning the favor.”