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LeBron James was aware his monumental streak of reaching double digits was threatened. When it mattered most, though, it was not his focus.

The right decision meant distributing the rock – which is exactly what he did. Consequently, the legendary streak came to an end.

James's astounding run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped during a recent game, as basketball's greatest scorer had only eight total points in the Lakers' 123-120 triumph versus Toronto. He provided the decisive pass, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a triple as time expired.

“Zero,” James said in response regarding the conclusion of his run. “We won.”

An Unselfish Decision Seals Victory

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the game – and extended the streak – on the final possession, yet he opted to make the extra pass to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron raised his arms with his hands in the air.

You have to play basketball the proper way. Always make the correct play,” James explained. That is my philosophy. That is the way I was instructed to play. I've played that way my whole career.”

He is fully cognizant of how many points he has during a game,” said Lakers coach the coach. “He did it as he has done throughout his career.”

The Run's End Game

James re-entered the floor one last time with under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome along with the historic run on the line. At that stage, he had only six points from 3 for 15 from the field by that point.

He managed a basket at 1:46 left to level the contest but then missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that might have taken him to double digits.

He didn’t take another shot – but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, yet LeBron opted to make the pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, if you do it the proper way, they tend to reward you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Staggering Record

The record started over eighteen years ago. It stood as the most extended such streak in NBA history: MJ had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem recorded 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run with 575.

He is such an unselfish player,” remarked teammate a fellow Laker.

“He’s just playing hoops. He had the opportunity but given his nature as a player and his personality as a person, he executed the pass, passed it to Rui and we won the victory.”

Scoring in double figures was usually an afterthought early in the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had attained the 10-point mark entering the fourth over twelve hundred times before this game.

Yet two of those unusual single-digit games after three periods had occurred recently: He recorded nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix earlier in the week.

LeBron was able to preserve the record in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it finished – but he still rejoiced anyway.

I only ever make the right play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James said. If you make the smart play, the basketball gods forever rewarding me.”