🔗 Share this article

LeBron James was aware his historic run of scoring in double figures was threatened. In that crucial moment, though, he wasn't bothered.

The smart move was to pass the basketball – so he did. With that selfless act, the unprecedented record was over.

James's unprecedented run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with 10+ points ended this past Thursday, when basketball's greatest scorer had only a mere eight points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against Toronto. He made the decisive pass, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-pointer as time expired.

“Zero,” James stated when asked on the record concluding. “We won.”

An Unselfish Play Delivers Victory

James could have attempted to win the contest – and preserved his record – in the closing seconds, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to Hachimura stationed in the corner. Rui connected, and James celebrated immediately.

It's about playing the game the proper way. Always make the right play,” James remarked. “That’s just been my M.O.. That is the way I was instructed to play. That's what I've done for two decades.”

“LeBron is acutely aware of his point total he has during a game,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play as he has done throughout his career.”

The Record's Closing Chapter

He returned to the contest for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the result and his personal record on the line. His tally was six points on 3 for 15 from the field by that point.

He scored with under two minutes remaining to tie the game and missed a 14-footer with one minute to go that might have gotten him to double digits.

He avoided taking another shot – but could have. A teammate found him with a few seconds left, however, James chose to make the pass instead.

The spirits of the game, if you do it the right way, they will repay you,” the coach concluded.

Reflecting on an Unparalleled Record

James's streak started on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the greatest such streak in professional basketball: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list with 575.

He is such a team-oriented player,” said teammate Jake LaRavia.

He focuses on playing hoops. He had the opportunity but because of his nature as a player and his character as a person, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and secured the victory.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been a formality well before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had reached ten points by the beginning of the final quarter over twelve hundred times prior to Thursday.

But two such games below ten points through three quarters took place in the last week: He recorded nine going into the fourth against Dallas last week, then had six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

James managed to preserve the record against the Suns. One game later, it finished – yet he was celebrating anyway.

“I always just make the right play. That is instinctive, regardless of outcome,” James affirmed. When you make the unselfish play, the sports deities are always giving back to me.”