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The Lakers star knew his monumental streak of scoring in double figures was at risk. At the decisive instant, though, it didn't concern him.

The smart move meant distributing the basketball – so he did. Following that play, the unprecedented record finished.

James's staggering run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped during a recent game, as the league's career points king was limited to eight total points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the clutch helper, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot to win the game.

“Nothing,” James said after being questioned on the record concluding. “The team got the victory.”

A Team-First Choice Delivers Victory

LeBron had the chance to tried to secure the contest – while also extending the streak – on the final possession, but he chose to make the extra pass to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, and James raised his arms immediately.

You have to play the game the right way. Make the smart play,” James explained. “That’s just been how I operate. It's how I was taught to play. That's what I've done my whole career.”

“LeBron is very conscious exactly how many points he has at any point,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. “He did it just as he has so many times.”

The Record's Closing Chapter

He returned to the game for the final time with under five and a half minutes to go, the result along with the historic run up for grabs. He had six points from a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He scored with 1:46 left to knot the score then missed a mid-range jumper at 1:01 left that might have gotten him to ten points.

He didn’t take a subsequent shot – though the opportunity was there. A teammate passed him the ball as time wound down, however, James decided to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, if you do it the proper way, they will reward you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Staggering Run

The record began over eighteen years ago. It stood as the longest streak of its kind in NBA history: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

He is such a team-oriented player,” noted Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

He simply plays the sport. He had the opportunity but due to the player he is and his personality as a person, he made the team play, found Rui and claimed the game.”

Reaching double digits had typically been a formality well before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had attained double figures by the start of the fourth 1,266 times coming into the contest.

But two such games below ten points through three quarters had happened just days before: He recorded nine going into the fourth against Dallas last week, and then had six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns on Monday night.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it finished – yet he was celebrating anyway.

My focus is to make the best play. That comes naturally, no matter what,” James said. When you make the smart play, the basketball gods consistently giving back to me.”