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James understood his monumental run of reaching double digits was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, it was not his focus.

The smart move meant distributing the ball – so he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak was over.

LeBron's astounding run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points concluded during a recent game, when the league's career points king had only eight total points during the Lakers' 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the decisive pass, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura for a triple at the buzzer.

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

A Team-First Decision Seals the Win

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the game – and preserved his record – with the last shot, but he chose to pass to Rui on the wing. Hachimura sank it, and James exulted immediately.

You have to play the game the right way. You always make the smart play,” James explained. “That’s just been how I operate. That is the way I was taught to play. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

“LeBron is acutely aware exactly how many points he has at all times,” stated the team's head coach the coach. “He did it as he has done throughout his career.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

LeBron checked back into the game for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome along with the historic run up for grabs. His tally was a mere six points on 3 for 15 from the field then.

He scored with under two minutes remaining to tie the game but then missed a shot with one minute to go that would have pushed him to double digits.

He passed up one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. A teammate passed him the ball in the waning seconds, but James chose to make the pass instead.

The basketball deities, when you play it the right way, they tend to reward you,” Redick added.

A Look Back at a Monumental Streak

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 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787, and The Mailman was fourth on the list at 575.

He is such a team-oriented player,” noted teammate a fellow Laker.

He simply plays the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of who he is on the court and his character off the court, he executed the team play, found Rui and secured the victory.”

Scoring in double figures was usually a formality long before the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had reached double figures by the beginning of the final quarter 1,266 times coming into the contest.

But two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods had happened recently: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks on 28 November, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.

LeBron was able to keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. In the following contest, it finished – and he celebrated all the same.

My focus is to make the correct play. That comes naturally, regardless of outcome,” James declared. When you make the smart play, the basketball gods consistently giving back to me.”