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LeBron James was aware his historic run of putting up 10+ points was at risk. At the decisive instant, though, it didn't concern him.

The smart move was to pass the basketball – and he executed. Following that play, the legendary streak finished.

James's astounding streak of over 1,200 straight regular-season double-digit scoring performances ended on Thursday night, as the league's career points king was limited to eight points during the Lakers' close victory over the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the game-winning assist, finding Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-pointer as time expired.

“Zero,” James replied when asked about the streak ending. “The important thing is we won.”

A Selfless Choice Delivers the Game

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the contest – and preserved the streak – with the last shot, instead, he decided to pass to Hachimura in the left corner. Rui connected, with LeBron raised his arms immediately.

You have to play basketball the right way. Make the correct play,” James explained. That is my philosophy. That is the way I was taught to play. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

James is very conscious of how many points he's scored at any point,” said the team's head coach the coach. He acted as he has done throughout his career.”

The Streak's Final Moments

He returned to the game for the final time at just over five minutes left, the outcome and his personal record both hanging in the balance. He had a mere six points from 3-of-15 shooting by that point.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to tie the game and missed a 14-footer at one minute to go which could have pushed him to double digits.

He avoided taking a subsequent shot – but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, however, James decided to make the extra pass instead.

The basketball deities, if you do it the right way, they will repay you,” the coach concluded.

The History of an Unparalleled Streak

James's streak commenced back in January 2007. It stood as the greatest streak of its kind in professional basketball: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 such games, and The Mailman was fourth on the list of 575 games.

LeBron is such an unselfish player,” said Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing hoops. He could have shot but given who he is on the court and just who he is as a person, he chose the pass, passed it to Rui and claimed the game.”

Reaching double digits had typically been a guarantee long before the start of fourth quarters. Over the course of the record, he had reached the 10-point mark entering the fourth over twelve hundred times coming into the contest.

However, two of those unusual single-digit games after three periods had happened in the last week: He had nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, followed by six going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.

James managed to keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. In the following contest, it finished – but he still rejoiced all the same.

I only ever make the right play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James declared. When you make the smart play, the basketball gods consistently returning the favor.”