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LeBron James was aware his historic streak of putting up 10+ points was threatened. When it mattered most, though, it was not his focus.

The correct basketball play involved passing the rock – and he executed. With that selfless act, his remarkable run came to an end.

LeBron's staggering run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten concluded on Thursday night, when the league's career points king was limited to eight points in the Lakers' 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He made the clutch helper, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura for a three-point shot as time expired.

“Zero,” James stated after being questioned on the record concluding. “The important thing is we won.”

An Unselfish Choice Secures Victory

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the contest – while also extending his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to pass to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura sank it, prompting James exulted immediately.

It's about playing basketball correctly. You always make the smart play,” James noted. That is how I operate. It's how I learned to play. I’ve done that my whole career.”

He is fully cognizant exactly how many points he has at all times,” said the team's head coach the coach. “He did it like he’s done so many times.”

The Run's End Game

James re-entered the game one last time with under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and the streak up for grabs. He had a mere six points from a 3-for-15 performance at that juncture.

He managed a basket with 1:46 left to knot the score then missed a shot at one minute to go that might have gotten him to ten points.

He passed up one more attempt – but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James opted to dish it off instead.

“The basketball gods, if you do it the proper way, they will bless you,” Redick added.

Reflecting on a Monumental Record

This incredible run began over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the greatest streak of its kind in professional basketball: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list of 575 games.

LeBron is such a team-oriented player,” noted Lakers center a fellow Laker.

He simply plays hoops. He had the opportunity but because of his nature as a player and his personality as an individual, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and we won the game.”

Getting to ten points had long been a formality early in the start of fourth quarters. During James’s streak, he had attained ten points entering the fourth over twelve hundred times before this game.

Yet two such single-digit games through three quarters had occurred just days before: He recorded nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. One game later, it was over – but he still rejoiced regardless.

“I always just make the best play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James declared. If you make the unselfish play, the game gods forever returning the favor.”