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LeBron James was aware his historic streak of reaching double digits was at risk. In that crucial moment, though, it didn't concern him.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the rock – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, the unprecedented record finished.

James's unprecedented streak of over 1,200 straight regular-season outings scoring at least ten concluded during a recent game, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only a mere eight points in the Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He made the decisive pass, feeding Rui Hachimura to knock down a triple as time expired.

“None,” James replied after being questioned regarding the conclusion of his run. “We won.”

A Selfless Decision Seals the Game

James could have tried to secure the game – and extended his record – in the closing seconds, but he chose to pass to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron exulted immediately.

You have to play basketball the right way. Always make the correct play,” James explained. “That’s just been my philosophy. That is the way I was taught to play. I've played that way for two decades.”

“LeBron is very conscious exactly how many points he has at all times,” stated the team's head coach the coach. “He did it just as he has so many times.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

He returned to the floor for the final time at just over five minutes left, the outcome along with the historic run both hanging in the balance. At that stage, he had six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He scored with 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a shot at one minute to go that might have taken him to ten points.

He avoided taking another shot – but could have. A teammate found him in the waning seconds, however, James opted to dish it off instead.

“The basketball gods, if you do it correctly, they tend to repay you,” Redick stated.

The History of a Monumental Run

The record commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the greatest double-digit streak in professional basketball: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and The Mailman was fourth on the list at 575.

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

He simply plays the sport. He had the opportunity but given his nature as a player and his character as an individual, he chose the unselfish play, found Rui and we won the game.”

Getting to ten points was usually a formality early in the fourth quarter began. During James’s streak, he had reached the 10-point mark entering the fourth over twelve hundred times before this game.

However, two of those unusual games below ten points through three quarters had happened recently: He had nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on 28 November, followed by six points going into the fourth versus the Suns earlier in the week.

James managed to extend the streak against the Suns. The very next outing, it concluded – but he still rejoiced regardless.

My focus is to make the right play. That comes naturally, regardless of outcome,” James said. If you make the unselfish play, the sports deities consistently rewarding me.”