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James understood his incredible streak of reaching double digits was at risk. At the decisive instant, though, it didn't concern him.

The correct basketball play was to pass the basketball – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak came to an end.

LeBron's staggering run of over 1,200 straight regular-season double-digit scoring performances concluded on Thursday night, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader was limited to a mere eight points in the Lakers' 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He made the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to hit a triple as time expired.

“Nothing,” James replied in response on the record concluding. “The team got the victory.”

A Team-First Choice Secures the Game

James could have tried to secure the contest – and extended his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to dish the ball to his teammate on the wing. Rui connected, with LeBron raised his arms triumphantly.

“Just playing the game the proper way. You always make the smart play,” James noted. That has always been my philosophy. That’s how I learned to play. That's what I've done my whole career.”

He is acutely aware of his point total he has at all times,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted as he has done countless times.”

The Run's End Game

James re-entered the game for the final time with under five and a half minutes to go, the win and his personal record on the line. His tally was only six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He scored at 1:46 left to level the contest but then missed a mid-range jumper with one minute to go which could have taken him to double digits.

He didn’t take a subsequent shot – but could have. Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the waning seconds, however, James decided to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, when you play it the proper way, they often reward you,” Redick added.

The History of an Unparalleled Run

The record started back in January 2007. It was, by far the longest streak of its kind in professional basketball: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list of 575 games.

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

“He’s just playing the sport. He could have shot but because of his nature as a player and his character as an individual, he chose the pass, found Rui and claimed the victory.”

Reaching double digits was usually a formality long before the fourth quarter began. During James’s streak, he had reached the 10-point mark entering the fourth 1,266 times prior to Thursday.

Yet two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods had happened just days before: He recorded nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks on 28 November, then had six going into the fourth against Phoenix earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record against the Suns. The very next outing, it finished – yet he was celebrating anyway.

My focus is to make the right play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James declared. “You make the right play, the sports deities consistently returning the favor.”