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The Lakers star knew his incredible run of scoring in double figures was threatened. In that crucial moment, though, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision was to pass the rock – and he executed. Consequently, his remarkable run finished.

LeBron's staggering streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points concluded on Thursday night, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with a mere eight points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He provided the decisive pass, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura for a three-pointer as time expired.

“Zero,” James stated in response about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Team-First Decision Delivers the Win

He might have sought to clinch the contest – and preserved the streak – in the closing seconds, but he chose to dish the ball to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron exulted with his hands in the air.

It's about playing the game the right way. You always make the smart play,” James noted. That has always been my M.O.. It's how I was taught the game. I've played that way throughout my career.”

James is fully cognizant of his point total he's scored at any point,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play like he’s done countless times.”

The Run's Final Moments

James re-entered the floor one last time at just over five minutes left, the outcome and the streak up for grabs. At that stage, he had six points on a 3-for-15 performance at that juncture.

He managed a basket at 1:46 left to knot the score then missed a mid-range jumper with 1:01 left that might have taken him to ten points.

He didn’t take another shot – even though he had a chance. Austin Reaves found him with a few seconds left, yet LeBron chose to dish it off instead.

The basketball deities, if you approach it the right way, they often bless you,” the coach concluded.

The History of a Staggering Run

James's streak commenced back in January 2007. It stood as the most extended such streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787, and Karl Malone recorded of 575 games.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” noted Lakers center a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing the game of basketball. The chance was there but given who he is on the court and just who he is as a person, he executed the pass, passed it to Rui and claimed the game.”

Getting to ten points had long been an afterthought long before the final period. Throughout his run, he had achieved double figures entering the fourth on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

Yet two of those rare single-digit games after three periods had happened recently: He had nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. One game later, it finished – yet he was celebrating anyway.

“I always just make the correct play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James declared. When you make the right play, the game gods consistently rewarding me.”