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LeBron James was aware his incredible run of scoring in double figures was threatened. When it mattered most, however, he wasn't bothered.

The right decision was to pass the basketball – so he did. Following that play, his remarkable run finished.

James's staggering streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped during a recent game, when the NBA's all-time scoring leader had only eight points during the Los Angeles Lakers' close win against Toronto. He delivered the decisive pass, finding Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-point shot at the buzzer.

“None,” James stated after being questioned regarding the conclusion of his run. “The team got the victory.”

A Selfless Decision Seals the Game

James could have sought to clinch the game – while also extending his record – with the last shot, instead, he decided to dish the ball to his teammate stationed in the corner. Hachimura sank it, and James raised his arms immediately.

You have to play basketball correctly. You always make the correct play,” James explained. “That’s just been my M.O.. It's how I was instructed to play. I've played that way for two decades.”

“LeBron is very conscious of how many points he has during a game,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted like he’s done so many times.”

The Streak's Final Moments

James re-entered the game one last time with under five and a half minutes to go, the win along with the historic run up for grabs. He had a mere six points from 3-of-15 shooting at that juncture.

He managed a basket with 1:46 left to level the contest and missed a 14-footer with one minute to go that would have gotten him into double figures.

He passed up one more attempt – even though he had a chance. Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the waning seconds, yet LeBron decided to make the pass instead of shooting.

The basketball deities, if you approach it correctly, they will bless you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at an Unparalleled Record

This incredible run started back in January 2007. It was, by far the most extended double-digit streak the league has ever seen: MJ previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 such games, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

LeBron is such a team-oriented player,” remarked Lakers center a fellow Laker.

He focuses on playing the sport. He had the opportunity but given his nature as a player and his character as an individual, he made the team play, found Rui and secured the game.”

Getting to ten points had typically been a formality early in the fourth quarter began. Over the course of the record, he had reached ten points by the beginning of the final quarter 1,266 times coming into the contest.

But two such games below ten points through three quarters had occurred in the last week: He recorded nine going into the fourth against Dallas on 28 November, then had six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

He succeeded in extend the streak against the Suns. One game later, it was over – yet he was celebrating regardless.

I only ever make the correct play. That is instinctive, win, lose or draw,” James declared. When you make the unselfish play, the game gods consistently rewarding me.”