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James understood his historic run of reaching double digits was in danger. In that crucial moment, though, it was not his focus.

The smart move meant distributing the rock – so he did. Following that play, the legendary streak came to an end.

LeBron's unprecedented run of over 1,200 straight regular-season games with 10+ points was snapped this past Thursday, when basketball's greatest scorer finished with eight total points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against Toronto. He provided the game-winning assist, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-point shot to win the game.

“Nothing,” James said when asked regarding the conclusion of his run. “The important thing is we won.”

An Unselfish Play Seals the Game

He might have tried to secure the contest – and preserved his record – on the final possession, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to Rui stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron celebrated triumphantly.

It's about playing the game the right way. Make the smart play,” James noted. That is my philosophy. It's how I was instructed to play. I’ve done that for two decades.”

He is fully cognizant of his point total he has at all times,” stated the team's head coach the coach. “He did it like he’s done so many times.”

The Streak's Final Moments

James re-entered the game for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome along with the historic run both hanging in the balance. He had six points from a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He managed a basket at 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a 14-footer at 1:01 left which could have pushed him into double figures.

He avoided taking another shot – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves found him in the waning seconds, however, James chose to dish it off instead of shooting.

The basketball deities, if you do it the right way, they tend to repay you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Monumental Run

The record began over eighteen years ago. It was, by far the longest double-digit streak in professional basketball: MJ had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

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

He simply plays the game of basketball. The chance was there but given his nature as a player and just who he is as a person, he chose the unselfish play, dished to Hachimura and claimed the game.”

Scoring in double figures had long been a guarantee long before the start of fourth quarters. Over the course of the record, 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 after three periods had happened just days before: He recorded nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on 28 November, followed by six going into the fourth against Phoenix earlier in the week.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it finished – but he still rejoiced regardless.

My focus is to make the correct play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James declared. “You make the right play, the sports deities forever rewarding me.”