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LeBron James was aware his monumental run of scoring in double figures was at risk. At the decisive instant, however, it didn't concern him.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the ball – and he executed. With that selfless act, the unprecedented record finished.

LeBron's unprecedented streak of 1,297 consecutive regular-season outings scoring at least ten ended during a recent game, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only eight total points during the Lakers' close win against the Toronto Raptors. He made the clutch helper, finding Rui Hachimura for a three-point shot at the buzzer.

“None,” James said when asked on the record concluding. “We won.”

A Selfless Decision Delivers the Game

James could have tried to secure the contest – and extended the streak – in the closing seconds, yet he opted to dish the ball to his teammate in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, with LeBron celebrated triumphantly.

You have to play basketball the proper way. You always make the correct play,” James explained. That has always been my M.O.. That’s how I learned to play. I’ve done that throughout my career.”

He is acutely aware of his point total he's scored during a game,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick. He made the play as he has done so many times.”

The Run's Final Moments

He returned to the floor one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the win and his personal record on the line. He had six points on 3 for 15 from the field by that point.

He scored at under two minutes remaining to knot the score then missed a mid-range jumper at 1:01 left that would have pushed him into double figures.

He passed up a subsequent shot – but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron chose to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, when you play it the right way, they tend to reward you,” Redick added.

Reflecting on a Monumental Run

This incredible run commenced over eighteen years ago. It stood as the longest such streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 such games, and Karl Malone recorded at 575.

“He’s such a pass-first superstar,” said Lakers center a fellow Laker.

He focuses on playing the sport. The chance was there but due to the player he is and just who he is as a person, he chose the pass, passed it to Rui and claimed the game.”

Reaching double digits was usually a guarantee well before the start of fourth quarters. Throughout his run, he had achieved the 10-point mark by the start of the fourth on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

Yet two of those rare games below ten points through three quarters had occurred just days before: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

James managed to keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. One game later, it finished – and he celebrated anyway.

“I always just make the right play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James affirmed. If you make the right play, the sports deities consistently rewarding me.”