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The Lakers star knew his monumental run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. At the decisive instant, however, he wasn't bothered.

The smart move involved passing the ball – and he executed. Following that play, the unprecedented record finished.

James's unprecedented run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season double-digit scoring performances concluded this past Thursday, as basketball's greatest scorer had only eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot to win the game.

“Nothing,” James stated in response on the record concluding. “The important thing is we won.”

A Team-First Decision Seals Victory

LeBron had the chance to tried to secure the contest – and extended the streak – in the closing seconds, but he chose to dish the ball to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron exulted immediately.

“Just playing the game correctly. Always make the right play,” James noted. “That’s just been my M.O.. That is the way I learned to play. I’ve done that for two decades.”

“LeBron is very conscious exactly how many points he has at all times,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play just as he has so many times.”

The Streak's Final Moments

He returned to the contest one last time with just over five minutes left, the win along with the historic run on the line. He had a mere six points from a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He got a bucket at 1:46 left to knot the score and missed a shot with one minute to go that would have taken him to double digits.

He passed up another shot – but could have. A teammate passed him the ball as time wound down, but James opted to dish it off instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, if you do it the proper way, they often repay you,” Redick added.

The History of a Staggering Streak

The record began on Jan. 6, 2007. It was easily the most extended double-digit streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and Karl Malone recorded of 575 games.

LeBron is such a pass-first superstar,” noted teammate a fellow Laker.

He focuses on playing the sport. The chance was there but given the player he is and his character off the court, he made the pass, dished to Hachimura and claimed the game.”

Reaching double digits had long been an afterthought well before the fourth quarter began. During James’s streak, he had attained double figures entering the fourth on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

But two of those unusual single-digit games through three quarters took place in the last week: He had nine entering the final quarter against Dallas last week, then had six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

LeBron was able to keep the streak alive against the Suns. One game later, it finished – and he celebrated all the same.

My focus is to make the right play. That is instinctive, regardless of outcome,” James declared. If you make the smart play, the sports deities are always returning the favor.”