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

The smart move meant distributing the basketball – so he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak came to an end.

LeBron's staggering streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season double-digit scoring performances concluded on Thursday night, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader was limited to a mere eight points during the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win against Toronto. He delivered the decisive pass, feeding Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-point shot to win the game.

“Nothing,” James stated when asked on the record concluding. “We won.”

An Unselfish Choice Delivers the Win

James could have sought to clinch the contest – while also extending the streak – on the final possession, but he chose to dish the ball to his teammate in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, and James celebrated triumphantly.

It's about playing basketball correctly. Make the right play,” James noted. “That’s just been my M.O.. It's how I was taught to play. I've played that way my whole career.”

James is very conscious exactly how many points he has at all times,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted as he has done countless times.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

He returned to the game one last time with under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and his personal record up for grabs. He had a mere six points on 3 for 15 from the field then.

He scored at under two minutes remaining to level the contest then missed a 14-footer at one minute to go that might have pushed him into double figures.

He didn’t take another shot – but could have. A teammate gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James chose to make the pass instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it correctly, they will repay you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Monumental Streak

James's streak started on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the greatest streak of its kind in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem had 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

LeBron is such an unselfish player,” said teammate a fellow Laker.

He focuses on playing the game of basketball. He could have shot but given who he is on the court and his character as an individual, he chose the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and secured the game.”

Reaching double digits was usually a formality long before the fourth quarter began. Throughout his run, he had achieved the 10-point mark by the beginning of the final quarter over twelve hundred times coming into the contest.

But two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods took place recently: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter against Dallas last week, followed by six before the fourth quarter versus the Suns on Monday night.

He succeeded in extend the streak in the Phoenix game. One game later, it finished – yet he was celebrating anyway.

My focus is to make the correct play. That is instinctive, no matter what,” James declared. When you make the right play, the sports deities consistently rewarding me.”