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LeBron James was aware his historic streak of reaching double digits was threatened. When it mattered most, however, it was not his focus.

The smart move involved passing the rock – so he did. Following that play, his remarkable run was over.

LeBron's astounding run of over 1,200 straight regular-season double-digit scoring performances ended this past Thursday, as basketball's greatest scorer finished with eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 victory over Toronto. He provided the clutch helper, finding Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-point shot at the buzzer.

“None,” James stated in response regarding the conclusion of his run. “We won.”

An Unselfish Decision Secures the Win

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the contest – and extended his record – with the last shot, but he chose to dish the ball to Hachimura on the wing. Hachimura sank it, prompting James celebrated triumphantly.

It's about playing the game the right way. You always make the smart play,” James explained. “That’s just been how I operate. That’s how I learned the game. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

“LeBron is fully cognizant exactly how many points he's scored at any point,” stated Lakers coach JJ Redick. He made the play as he has done throughout his career.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

LeBron checked back into the contest one last time with under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and his personal record up for grabs. His tally was only six points from a 3-for-15 performance at that juncture.

He managed a basket at under two minutes remaining to tie the game and missed a shot at one minute to go that might have gotten him into double figures.

He avoided taking a subsequent shot – but could have. A teammate passed him the ball in the waning seconds, however, James decided to dish it off instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, when you play it correctly, they will bless you,” Redick added.

Reflecting on a Monumental Run

The record commenced over eighteen years ago. It was easily the longest such streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and The Mailman was fourth on the list of 575 games.

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

He simply plays hoops. The chance was there but because of who he is on the court and just who he is as an individual, he executed the team play, dished to Hachimura and claimed the victory.”

Getting to ten points had long been an afterthought long before the final period. During James’s streak, he had attained the 10-point mark entering the fourth on the vast majority of occasions coming into the contest.

However, two such single-digit games through three quarters had happened recently: He recorded nine entering the final quarter against Dallas on 28 November, and then had six points before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

James managed to preserve the record in the Phoenix game. In the following contest, it finished – and he celebrated all the same.

My focus is to make the right play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James affirmed. If you make the unselfish play, the game gods are always returning the favor.”