LeBron James's Legendary Scoring Run Comes to a Close, Yet Los Angeles Secure Triumph Against Raptors.

James understood his monumental run of reaching double digits was at risk. In that crucial moment, though, it was not his focus.

The right decision meant distributing the basketball – so he did. Following that play, his remarkable run came to an end.

LeBron's staggering run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped this past Thursday, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only eight total points during the Lakers' close win against Toronto. He delivered the game-winning assist, feeding Rui Hachimura to hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“Nothing,” James said when asked regarding the conclusion of his run. “The team got the victory.”

An Unselfish Choice Delivers the Win

He might have attempted to win the contest – and preserved his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to make the extra pass to Rui in the left corner. Hachimura sank it, and James raised his arms triumphantly.

You have to play basketball the proper way. You always make the smart play,” James explained. That has always been my philosophy. That’s how I was instructed the game. I've played that way throughout my career.”

He is very conscious of his point total he's scored at all times,” stated Lakers coach the coach. He made the play as he has done so many times.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

James re-entered the game one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and his personal record both hanging in the balance. His tally was a mere six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He scored at 1:46 left to knot the score then missed a mid-range jumper at one minute to go that would have pushed him to double digits.

He avoided taking another shot – though the opportunity was there. A teammate gave James the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron decided to dish it off instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it the right way, they tend to bless you,” Redick stated.

A Look Back at an Unparalleled Run

James's streak began on Jan. 6, 2007. It was easily the greatest streak of its kind in NBA history: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem had 787, and Karl Malone recorded at 575.

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

“He’s just playing the sport. He could have shot but given who he is on the court and his personality as an individual, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and we won the game.”

Reaching double digits was usually an afterthought well before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had achieved double figures by the start of the fourth on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

Yet two such games below ten points through three quarters had happened in the last week: He recorded nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, then had six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in preserve the record in the Phoenix game. In the following contest, it finished – but he still rejoiced regardless.

“I always just make the best play. That comes naturally, regardless of outcome,” James declared. “You make the unselfish play, the basketball gods are always rewarding me.”