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The Lakers star knew his historic run of putting up 10+ points was in danger. At the decisive instant, however, it didn't concern him.

The smart move involved passing the rock – so he did. Consequently, his remarkable run came to an end.

James's astounding run of over 1,200 straight regular-season double-digit scoring performances concluded during a recent game, when basketball's greatest scorer had only eight total points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 victory over Toronto. He made the decisive pass, setting up Rui Hachimura for a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“Zero,” James replied after being questioned regarding the conclusion of his run. “The team got the victory.”

An Unselfish Choice Delivers the Win

He might have tried to secure the game – while also extending the streak – with the last shot, but he chose to make the extra pass to Hachimura on the wing. Hachimura sank it, with LeBron celebrated with his hands in the air.

You have to play basketball the proper way. Make the correct play,” James explained. That is my philosophy. It's how I was taught to play. That's what I've done my whole career.”

He is fully cognizant exactly how many points he's scored at any point,” stated the team's head coach the coach. He made the play like he’s done so many times.”

The Run's Closing Chapter

LeBron checked back into the game one last time at 5:23 remaining, the result and his personal record both hanging in the balance. His tally was only six points on 3-of-15 shooting then.

He scored at under two minutes remaining to knot the score but then missed a mid-range jumper at 1:01 left which could have taken him to double digits.

He avoided taking a subsequent shot – but could have. A teammate gave James the ball as time wound down, yet LeBron opted to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

The spirits of the game, if you approach it the right way, they tend to reward you,” Redick stated.

A Look Back at a Monumental Record

James's streak began on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the most extended streak of its kind in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem recorded 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list with 575.

“He’s such an unselfish player,” noted teammate Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing the sport. The chance was there but due to the player he is and his character as an individual, he executed the pass, passed it to Rui and claimed the victory.”

Getting to ten points had typically been an afterthought well before the final period. Over the course of the record, he had reached double figures entering the fourth 1,266 times coming into the contest.

But two of those unusual single-digit games after three periods had occurred just days before: He had nine entering the final quarter against Dallas last week, and then had six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record in the Phoenix game. In the following contest, it finished – yet he was celebrating anyway.

“I always just make the correct play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James said. “You make the smart play, the sports deities consistently rewarding me.”