The King's Historic Scoring Streak Comes to a Close, However Los Angeles Secure Victory Against Toronto.

The Lakers star knew his monumental streak of scoring in double figures was threatened. At the decisive instant, however, he wasn't bothered.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the basketball – and he executed. Following that play, the unprecedented record came to an end.

James's astounding run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten concluded during a recent game, when the league's career points king had only eight total points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He made the game-winning assist, feeding Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot to win the game.

“None,” James said when asked about the streak ending. “The important thing is we won.”

A Team-First Decision Seals the Win

He might have tried to secure the game – and preserved the streak – with the last shot, instead, he decided to pass to Hachimura stationed in the corner. Hachimura made the shot, and James raised his arms immediately.

You have to play the game correctly. You always make the smart play,” James remarked. That has always been how I operate. That’s how I was instructed the game. I've played that way my whole career.”

He is fully cognizant of how many points he's scored at any point,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted as he has done so many times.”

The Run's Final Moments

LeBron checked back into the floor one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and the streak both hanging in the balance. He had only six points from 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

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

He didn’t take one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. A teammate passed him the ball as time wound down, but James opted to make the extra pass instead.

“The basketball gods, if you do it correctly, they often repay you,” Redick added.

A Look Back at a Monumental Streak

James's streak started over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the longest double-digit streak the league has ever seen: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787, and The Mailman was fourth on the list at 575.

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

“He’s just playing the sport. The chance was there but given who he is on the court and just who he is off the court, he executed the team play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”

Getting to ten points was usually a guarantee long before the start of fourth quarters. Throughout his run, he had reached ten points entering the fourth on the vast majority of occasions prior to Thursday.

Yet two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods had occurred just days before: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

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

I only ever make the right play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James declared. When you make the smart play, the sports deities consistently giving back to me.”