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LeBron James was aware his historic run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. In that crucial moment, 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, his remarkable run came to an end.

LeBron's staggering streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points ended this past Thursday, as the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with eight points in the Lakers' close victory over the Toronto Raptors. He made the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to hit a triple at the buzzer.

“None,” James said in response on the record concluding. “The important thing is we won.”

A Team-First Decision Secures the Game

LeBron had the chance to tried to secure the game – while also extending the streak – with the last shot, yet he opted to pass to Rui on the wing. Hachimura sank it, prompting James raised his arms with his hands in the air.

It's about playing basketball correctly. You always make the correct play,” James explained. That is how I operate. That is the way I was instructed the game. I've played that way my whole career.”

James is very conscious of how many points he has at all times,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He made the play just as he has throughout his career.”

The Record's Closing Chapter

He returned to the contest for the final time at just over five minutes left, the outcome and his personal record both hanging in the balance. His tally was only six points from a 3-for-15 performance at that juncture.

He managed a basket with under two minutes remaining to knot the score but then missed a 14-footer at 1:01 left which could have gotten him to double digits.

He avoided taking a subsequent shot – though the opportunity was there. A teammate found him as time wound down, but James chose to dish it off instead of shooting.

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

The History of a Monumental Streak

The record began back in January 2007. It was easily the greatest such streak in professional basketball: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list of 575 games.

LeBron is such a team-oriented player,” remarked teammate Jake LaRavia.

He simply plays the game of basketball. He could have shot but due to his nature as a player and his character as an individual, he executed the unselfish play, dished to Hachimura and secured the victory.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been a guarantee early in the fourth quarter began. During James’s streak, he had achieved ten points by the start of the fourth 1,266 times coming into the contest.

However, two such games below ten points after three periods had happened in the last week: He had nine entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks on 28 November, and then had six points before the fourth quarter versus the Suns on Monday night.

James managed to preserve the record against the Suns. One game later, it concluded – and he celebrated anyway.

My focus is to make the right play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James declared. When you make the unselfish play, the sports deities forever returning the favor.”