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The Lakers star knew his monumental run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, he wasn't bothered.

The smart move meant distributing the ball – and he executed. With that selfless act, his remarkable run finished.

LeBron's unprecedented streak of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with 10+ points was snapped on Thursday night, as the league's career points king was limited to a mere eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 victory over Toronto. He delivered the game-winning assist, setting up Rui Hachimura for a three-pointer to win the game.

“None,” James stated in response about the streak ending. “We won.”

A Team-First Decision Secures the Game

LeBron had the chance to tried to secure the contest – while also extending his record – with the last shot, yet he opted to pass to Hachimura on the wing. Hachimura made the shot, and James exulted immediately.

“Just playing the game correctly. Always make the smart play,” James remarked. That is how I operate. It's how I learned the game. I’ve done that my whole career.”

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

The Run's Closing Chapter

LeBron checked back into the floor one last time at just over five minutes left, the result and his personal record both hanging in the balance. At that stage, he had only six points from 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to level the contest then missed a shot with one minute to go which could have gotten him into double figures.

He passed up another shot – even though he had a chance. A teammate passed him the ball as time wound down, yet LeBron opted to make the extra pass instead of shooting.

The basketball deities, if you do it the right way, they will bless you,” Redick added.

Reflecting on an Unparalleled Run

The record commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the most extended double-digit streak the league has ever seen: Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem had 787, and Karl Malone recorded at 575.

“He’s such a team-oriented player,” remarked teammate Jake LaRavia.

“He’s just playing the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of his nature as a player and his personality as a person, he chose the unselfish play, found Rui and secured the game.”

Getting to ten points was usually an afterthought early in the start of fourth quarters. During James’s streak, he had reached the 10-point mark entering the fourth on the vast majority of occasions prior to Thursday.

Yet two of those unusual games below ten points after three periods had occurred recently: He recorded nine points going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

James managed to preserve the record in the Phoenix game. One game later, it finished – and he celebrated anyway.

“I always just make the best play. That is instinctive, no matter what,” James said. If you make the smart play, the game gods forever rewarding me.”