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James understood his monumental streak of scoring in double figures was threatened. In that crucial moment, however, he wasn't bothered.

The correct basketball play was to pass the basketball – which is exactly what he did. With that selfless act, the legendary streak came to an end.

James's astounding streak of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points ended this past Thursday, when basketball's greatest scorer finished with eight total points during the Lakers' close win against Toronto. He provided the clutch helper, setting up teammate Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-point shot to win the game.

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

A Selfless Decision Delivers the Game

LeBron had the chance to sought to clinch the contest – while also extending his record – with the last shot, but he chose to pass to his teammate on the wing. Hachimura made the shot, prompting James exulted triumphantly.

You have to play the game the proper way. Always make the smart play,” James remarked. That has always been how I operate. That is the way I learned the game. I've played that way throughout my career.”

“LeBron is acutely aware exactly how many points he has during a game,” stated the team's head coach the coach. “He did it as he has done countless times.”

The Record's Final Moments

James re-entered the game for the final time at 5:23 remaining, the outcome along with the historic run up for grabs. He had six points from a 3-for-15 performance by that point.

He got a bucket with under two minutes remaining to tie the game but then missed a mid-range jumper at one minute to go that might have taken him into double figures.

He avoided taking one more attempt – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the waning seconds, however, James chose to make the pass instead.

“The basketball gods, if you approach it the right way, they often bless you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Monumental Streak

James's streak commenced on Jan. 6, 2007. It stood as the longest streak of its kind in NBA history: MJ had 866 straight games with 10+ points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 such games, and Karl Malone was fourth on the list with 575.

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

“He’s just playing hoops. He could have shot but given his nature as a player and just who he is as a person, he executed the team play, passed it to Rui and claimed the victory.”

Scoring in double figures had typically been an afterthought well before the start of fourth quarters. Throughout his run, he had reached double figures by the start of the fourth over twelve hundred times coming into the contest.

However, two of those rare single-digit games after three periods had occurred recently: He had nine going into the fourth versus the Mavericks last week, then had six going into the fourth versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in preserve the record in the Phoenix game. One game later, it finished – yet he was celebrating regardless.

“I always just make the best play. That’s automatic, regardless of outcome,” James said. “You make the smart play, the basketball gods forever giving back to me.”