LeBron James's Historic Point-Scoring Streak Comes to a Close, But Lakers Secure Triumph Over Raptors.

James understood his historic run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, it didn't concern him.

The right decision meant distributing the rock – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, his remarkable run was over.

James's staggering run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points concluded during a recent game, when the league's career points king finished with a mere eight points in the Lakers' close win against Toronto. He made the game-winning assist, setting up Rui Hachimura to knock down a triple to win the game.

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

An Unselfish Play Seals the Game

James could have attempted to win the contest – and preserved his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to dish the ball to Rui on the wing. Hachimura made the shot, and James exulted triumphantly.

“Just playing basketball the proper way. Make the right play,” James noted. “That’s just been my M.O.. It's how I was instructed the game. I’ve done that throughout my career.”

He is acutely aware exactly how many points he's scored at all times,” stated the team's head coach the coach. He acted just as he has throughout his career.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

James re-entered the game one last time at just over five minutes left, the win and his personal record both hanging in the balance. He had a mere six points from 3-of-15 shooting by that point.

He managed a basket at 1:46 left to level the contest but then missed a mid-range jumper at 1:01 left that would have gotten him to ten points.

He didn’t take another shot – even though he had a chance. A teammate gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James chose to make the pass instead of shooting.

“The basketball gods, if you do it correctly, they will bless you,” Redick stated.

Reflecting on a Monumental Run

The record commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the greatest such streak in NBA history: His Airness, Michael Jordan had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem had 787, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list at 575.

He is such a pass-first superstar,” remarked teammate a fellow Laker.

He simply plays hoops. He could have shot but due to who he is on the court and his personality off the court, he made the team play, dished to Hachimura and secured the game.”

Reaching double digits had typically been a guarantee long before the start of fourth quarters. Throughout his run, he had reached double figures entering the fourth over twelve hundred times coming into the contest.

However, two of those unusual single-digit games after three periods had happened in the last week: He recorded nine points going into the fourth against Dallas last week, and then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in extend the streak in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it was over – and he celebrated all the same.

My focus is to make the right play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James affirmed. When you make the right play, the game gods are always rewarding me.”