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James understood his monumental streak of scoring in double figures was in danger. In that crucial moment, though, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision involved passing the rock – so he did. Consequently, the legendary streak came to an end.

James's astounding run of over 1,200 straight regular-season games with 10+ points was snapped this past Thursday, as the league's career points king had only a mere eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 victory over Toronto. He made the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to hit a three-pointer as time expired.

“Zero,” James said when asked about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Team-First Choice Secures the Game

LeBron had the chance to attempted to win the contest – and extended his record – on the final possession, yet he opted to dish the ball to Rui stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron raised his arms triumphantly.

You have to play the game the proper way. You always make the correct play,” James remarked. That has always been my philosophy. That is the way I was taught to play. I’ve done that for two decades.”

“LeBron is fully cognizant of how many points he has at any point,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. “He did it like he’s done so many times.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

He returned to the floor for the final time with 5:23 remaining, the outcome and the streak both hanging in the balance. At that stage, he had a mere six points from 3 for 15 from the field then.

He got a bucket at 1:46 left to level the contest but then missed a 14-footer at 1:01 left that might have taken him to ten points.

He didn’t take another shot – but could have. A teammate passed him the ball in the waning seconds, but James decided to make the extra pass instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it correctly, they will reward you,” Redick stated.

A Look Back at an Unparalleled Run

This incredible run commenced over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the longest streak of its kind in professional basketball: Michael Jordan had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787, and Karl Malone recorded with 575.

He is such a pass-first superstar,” remarked Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing the game of basketball. He could have shot but because of the player he is and his character as a person, he chose the team play, found Rui and secured the game.”

Reaching double digits was usually a guarantee long before the final period. Throughout his run, he had reached ten points by the start of the fourth 1,266 times coming into the contest.

Yet two of those unusual single-digit games after three periods had happened just days before: He had nine going into the fourth against Dallas on 28 November, and then had six points going into the fourth versus the Suns on Monday night.

James managed to preserve the record against the Suns. The very next outing, it finished – and he celebrated regardless.

My focus is to make the correct play. That is instinctive, regardless of outcome,” James said. “You make the unselfish play, the sports deities forever giving back to me.”