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James understood his historic run of scoring in double figures was in danger. At the decisive instant, though, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision meant distributing the rock – and he executed. Following that play, the legendary streak came to an end.

LeBron's unprecedented streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped this past Thursday, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only eight total points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against Toronto. He made the clutch helper, feeding Rui Hachimura to hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“None,” James replied in response regarding the conclusion of his run. “The team got the victory.”

A Team-First Play Secures the Win

James could have tried to secure the game – and preserved his record – with the last shot, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to his teammate in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron raised his arms with his hands in the air.

You have to play basketball the proper way. Make the smart play,” James remarked. That has always been my philosophy. That’s how I learned the game. I’ve done that for two decades.”

He is very conscious of how many points he has at all times,” stated the team's head coach the coach. He acted just as he has countless times.”

The Run's End Game

James re-entered the game for the final time with under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and the streak up for grabs. At that stage, he had only six points on 3 for 15 from the field then.

He managed a basket at 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a 14-footer at one minute to go that might have taken him to double digits.

He didn’t take one more attempt – even though he had a chance. Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron decided to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, if you do it correctly, they tend to repay you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at an Unparalleled Run

James's streak commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the most extended double-digit streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem had 787, and The Mailman recorded with 575.

He is such an unselfish player,” remarked teammate a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing the game of basketball. He could have shot but given his nature as a player and just who he is as an individual, he chose the pass, found Rui and claimed the game.”

Getting to ten points was usually a guarantee well before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had achieved ten points entering the fourth over twelve hundred times coming into the contest.

But two of those unusual single-digit games through three quarters had occurred in the last week: He recorded nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on 28 November, followed by six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

James managed to keep the streak alive against the Suns. In the following contest, it concluded – yet he was celebrating regardless.

My focus is to make the best play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James affirmed. “You make the unselfish play, the sports deities forever giving back to me.”