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James understood his historic run of scoring in double figures was threatened. In that crucial moment, however, it was not his focus.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the basketball – and he executed. With that selfless act, his remarkable run finished.

LeBron's unprecedented run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped during a recent game, when the league's career points king finished with a mere eight points during the Lakers' 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He made the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to knock down a triple to win the game.

“None,” James said in response regarding the conclusion of his run. “The important thing is we won.”

A Selfless Play Seals the Game

He might have tried to secure the game – while also extending the streak – with the last shot, but he chose to make the extra pass to Hachimura in the left corner. Rui connected, and James exulted with his hands in the air.

You have to play basketball the proper way. Always make the correct play,” James noted. That is my M.O.. That is the way I learned to play. I’ve done that throughout my career.”

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

The Streak's Final Moments

James re-entered the floor one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the result along with the historic run on the line. At that stage, he had a mere six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He scored with 1:46 left to knot the score but then missed a mid-range jumper with one minute to go that might have taken him to ten points.

He avoided taking another shot – even though he had a chance. Austin Reaves found him in the waning seconds, but James chose to make the pass instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it the right way, they often repay you,” Redick added.

Reflecting on a Monumental Streak

The record began over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the greatest such streak in NBA history: MJ previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run at 575.

LeBron is such a pass-first superstar,” said Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing hoops. He had the opportunity but due to who he is on the court and his character as an individual, he executed the pass, dished to Hachimura and claimed the game.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been an afterthought well before the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had attained double figures by the start of the fourth on the vast majority of occasions coming into the contest.

But two of those rare single-digit games through three quarters had happened in the last week: He had nine entering the final quarter against Dallas on 28 November, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix earlier in the week.

LeBron was able to keep the streak alive against the Suns. One game later, it finished – yet he was celebrating regardless.

My focus is to make the correct play. That’s automatic, regardless of outcome,” James declared. If you make the smart play, the sports deities consistently rewarding me.”