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James understood his monumental run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, he wasn't bothered.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the ball – so he did. Following that play, the unprecedented record came to an end.

LeBron's astounding streak of over 1,200 straight regular-season games with 10+ points concluded on Thursday night, when basketball's greatest scorer was limited to eight points during the Lakers' close victory over the Toronto Raptors. He made the decisive pass, finding teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a triple to win the game.

“Zero,” James said in response about the streak ending. “The important thing is we won.”

A Selfless Choice Seals the Game

He might have sought to clinch the contest – while also extending the streak – on the final possession, but he chose to pass to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura sank it, and James raised his arms immediately.

“Just playing basketball the right way. Make the correct play,” James remarked. That is my M.O.. That’s how I learned to play. I’ve done that for two decades.”

He is fully cognizant exactly how many points he's scored at all times,” said Lakers coach the coach. “He did it as he has done so many times.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

James re-entered the floor one last time at just over five minutes left, the result and his personal record on the line. He had only six points on 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

He got a bucket with 1:46 left to tie the game then missed a shot at one minute to go that might have taken him to ten points.

He didn’t take one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves gave James the ball as time wound down, however, James chose to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

The basketball deities, when you play it correctly, they often reward you,” Redick added.

The History of a Staggering Record

James's streak began back in January 2007. It stood as the greatest double-digit streak the league has ever seen: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787, and The Mailman recorded with 575.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” remarked Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing the game of basketball. The chance was there but given his nature as a player and his personality off the court, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and we won the victory.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been a guarantee long before the start of fourth quarters. During James’s streak, he had achieved double figures by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions coming into the contest.

However, two such single-digit games after three periods took place in the last week: He had nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, followed by six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it was over – yet he was celebrating anyway.

My focus is to make the correct play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James affirmed. “You make the right play, the sports deities forever returning the favor.”