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The Lakers star knew his monumental streak of reaching double digits was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, he wasn't bothered.

The smart move meant distributing the basketball – and he executed. Consequently, the unprecedented record was over.

James's staggering run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season outings scoring at least ten was snapped during a recent game, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader finished with eight total points in the Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He made the clutch helper, finding Rui Hachimura for a three-pointer at the buzzer.

“Zero,” James replied after being questioned on the record concluding. “We won.”

A Selfless Decision Seals the Game

He might have sought to clinch the game – while also extending his record – in the closing seconds, instead, he decided to make the extra pass to his teammate stationed in the corner. Rui connected, and James raised his arms triumphantly.

It's about playing the game correctly. Make the smart play,” James explained. That has always been my M.O.. That’s how I was instructed the game. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

James is acutely aware exactly how many points he's scored at any point,” commented Lakers coach JJ Redick. He made the play just as he has countless times.”

The Run's Final Moments

James re-entered the floor one last time with 5:23 remaining, the win along with the historic run both hanging in the balance. His tally was six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He scored at under two minutes remaining to level the contest but then missed a shot with 1:01 left that might have gotten him into double figures.

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

The basketball deities, if you approach it the right way, they often reward you,” Redick stated.

A Look Back at a Staggering Record

This incredible run commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far the most extended double-digit streak the league has ever seen: MJ previously held a streak of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

He is such a pass-first superstar,” remarked teammate a fellow Laker.

He simply plays the game of basketball. The chance was there but given his nature as a player and his personality as a person, he chose the pass, passed it to Rui and secured the game.”

Getting to ten points had typically been an afterthought long before the start of fourth quarters. During James’s streak, he had reached double figures entering the fourth over twelve hundred times before this game.

Yet two of those rare games below ten points through three quarters had happened in the last week: He recorded nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks on 28 November, followed by six points before the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Monday night.

He succeeded in extend the streak in the Phoenix game. The very next outing, it concluded – yet he was celebrating regardless.

My focus is to make the correct play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James said. When you make the right play, the sports deities are always returning the favor.”