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LeBron James was aware his monumental streak of putting up 10+ points was at risk. At the decisive instant, though, it was not his focus.

The right decision meant distributing the basketball – so he did. Following that play, his remarkable run finished.

LeBron's unprecedented run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season double-digit scoring performances concluded on Thursday night, when the league's career points king was limited to eight points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He made the clutch helper, finding Rui Hachimura for a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“None,” James replied when asked regarding the conclusion of his run. “The important thing is we won.”

An Unselfish Decision Delivers the Game

James could have tried to secure the contest – and preserved his record – with the last shot, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to Hachimura stationed in the corner. Rui connected, and James exulted immediately.

You have to play the game the proper way. Always make the correct play,” James explained. “That’s just been my philosophy. It's how I learned the game. I’ve done that throughout my career.”

“LeBron is very conscious of how many points he's scored at all times,” stated the team's head coach the coach. He acted as he has done so many times.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

He returned to the game for the final time at under five and a half minutes to go, the result along with the historic run up for grabs. He had a mere six points from a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to knot the score and missed a mid-range jumper with one minute to go that would have taken him to ten points.

He avoided taking one more attempt – but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James decided to make the pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, if you do it the proper way, they will reward you,” Redick added.

Reflecting on an Unparalleled Streak

The record commenced back in January 2007. It was, by far the greatest such streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan had 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone recorded at 575.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” remarked Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

He focuses on playing the game of basketball. The chance was there but due to his nature as a player and his character off the court, he made the team play, passed it to Rui and we won the victory.”

Reaching double digits had typically been an afterthought long before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had achieved double figures by the start of the fourth 1,266 times prior to Thursday.

However, two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods had happened just days before: He had nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, followed by six before the fourth quarter 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.

“I always just make the right play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James affirmed. If you make the right play, the game gods are always giving back to me.”