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LeBron James was aware his historic run of reaching double digits was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, it was not his focus.

The correct basketball play meant distributing the rock – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak was over.

James's staggering streak of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points concluded this past Thursday, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only a mere eight points during the Lakers' close victory over Toronto. He delivered the game-winning assist, finding teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot at the buzzer.

“Nothing,” James replied after being questioned on the record concluding. “The important thing is we won.”

A Team-First Choice Seals Victory

James could have attempted to win the game – and preserved his record – in the closing seconds, but he chose to make the extra pass to his teammate on the wing. Hachimura sank it, and James celebrated immediately.

It's about playing basketball the proper way. Always make the right play,” James explained. “That’s just been my philosophy. That is the way I was instructed the game. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

James is fully cognizant of how many points he has during a game,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted just as he has so many times.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

LeBron checked back into the floor for the final time at just over five minutes left, the outcome and the streak up for grabs. At that stage, he had only six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He got a bucket with under two minutes remaining to level the contest then missed a mid-range jumper at 1:01 left which could have gotten him to double digits.

He avoided taking one more attempt – even though he had a chance. A teammate passed him the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron opted to dish it off instead.

The spirits of the game, if you do it correctly, they often reward you,” the coach concluded.

The History of a Monumental Run

The record commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the longest double-digit streak in professional basketball: MJ had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list at 575.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” said Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

He focuses on playing the game of basketball. The chance was there but because of who he is on the court and his personality off the court, he chose the team play, dished to Hachimura and we won the game.”

Scoring in double figures had long been an afterthought early in the fourth quarter began. 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 rare games below ten points after three periods had occurred in the last week: He had nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks on 28 November, then had six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. In the following contest, it concluded – yet he was celebrating all the same.

“I always just make the right play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James said. When you make the smart play, the sports deities consistently giving back to me.”