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James understood his historic run of putting up 10+ points was at risk. In that crucial moment, though, it didn't concern him.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the ball – so he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak finished.

James's astounding streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten was snapped on Thursday night, when the league's career points king was limited to eight points during the Lakers' 123-120 triumph versus the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the game-winning assist, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot at the buzzer.

“Zero,” James said in response regarding the conclusion of his run. “The important thing is we won.”

An Unselfish Play Delivers Victory

He might have attempted to win the contest – and extended his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to dish the ball to Rui on the wing. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron raised his arms with his hands in the air.

“Just playing the game correctly. Make the smart play,” James remarked. “That’s just been how I operate. That is the way I was instructed the game. I’ve done that my whole career.”

James is very conscious of his point total he's scored during a game,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play just as he has countless times.”

The Streak's End Game

LeBron checked back into the game one last time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome and his personal record on the line. He had only six points from a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He managed a basket with 1:46 left to level the contest but then missed a shot at one minute to go which could have gotten him to ten points.

He passed up a subsequent shot – but could have. A teammate found him with a few seconds left, but James opted to make the pass instead.

The spirits of the game, if you approach it the right way, they often bless you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Monumental Record

James's streak began on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the greatest double-digit streak in NBA history: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run with 575.

He is such a team-oriented player,” remarked Lakers center a fellow Laker.

He simply plays the sport. The chance was there but due to who he is on the court and his personality as a person, he made the team play, found Rui and claimed the victory.”

Reaching double digits was usually a formality long before the start of fourth quarters. Throughout his run, he had reached double figures by the start of the fourth over twelve hundred times prior to Thursday.

Yet two of those rare single-digit games through three quarters had occurred recently: He had nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, followed by six going into the fourth versus the Suns on Monday night.

James managed to keep the streak alive against the Suns. In the following contest, it concluded – and he celebrated anyway.

“I always just make the correct play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James affirmed. “You make the unselfish play, the sports deities are always rewarding me.”