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The Lakers star knew his monumental run of reaching double digits was at risk. At the decisive instant, though, it was not his focus.

The right decision involved passing the ball – which is exactly what he did. Following that play, his remarkable run came to an end.

James's astounding run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten concluded on Thursday night, when basketball's greatest scorer was limited to a mere eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' close triumph versus Toronto. He delivered the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to hit a triple as time expired.

“Zero,” James said when asked regarding the conclusion of his run. “The important thing is we won.”

A Team-First Choice Seals Victory

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the contest – and preserved the streak – in the closing seconds, but he chose to dish the ball to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura made the shot, and James celebrated triumphantly.

You have to play the game correctly. Always make the smart play,” James noted. That has always been how I operate. That is the way I learned to play. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

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

The Streak's Closing Chapter

LeBron checked back into the floor for the final time with under five and a half minutes to go, the result and his personal record both hanging in the balance. At that stage, he had six points on a 3-for-15 performance then.

He scored with under two minutes remaining to level the contest but then missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left which could have taken him into double figures.

He passed up a subsequent shot – even though he had a chance. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James opted to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, if you approach it the right way, they will repay you,” Redick stated.

Reflecting on a Monumental Run

James's streak started on Jan. 6, 2007. It was easily the longest streak of its kind in professional basketball: MJ previously held a streak of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787 such games, and The Mailman recorded at 575.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” noted teammate a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing hoops. He could have shot but given who he is on the court and his character off the court, he made the pass, found Rui and we won the victory.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been an afterthought well before the final period. During James’s streak, he had reached the 10-point mark entering the fourth on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

But two such single-digit games after three periods took place in the last week: He had nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks on 28 November, then had six going into the fourth against Phoenix earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. One game later, it finished – and he celebrated anyway.

My focus is to make the best play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James declared. If you make the unselfish play, the basketball gods forever rewarding me.”