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LeBron James was aware his monumental run of scoring in double figures was threatened. At the decisive instant, though, it didn't concern him.

The right decision was to pass the rock – so he did. With that selfless act, the unprecedented record came to an end.

James's astounding run of over 1,200 straight NBA regular season games with 10+ points was snapped on Thursday night, when the league's career points king had only eight total points in the Lakers' 123-120 win against the Toronto Raptors. He delivered the decisive pass, feeding teammate Rui Hachimura to hit a three-point shot to win the game.

“Nothing,” James stated after being questioned on the record concluding. “The important thing is we won.”

An Unselfish Choice Delivers the Win

James could have attempted to win the game – while also extending his record – on the final possession, but he chose to make the extra pass to Rui in the left corner. Hachimura made the shot, and James exulted with his hands in the air.

It's about playing basketball correctly. You always make the right play,” James noted. “That’s just been my philosophy. That is the way I was instructed the game. That's what I've done throughout my career.”

James is acutely aware of how many points he's scored at all times,” commented the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted as he has done throughout his career.”

The Streak's Final Moments

He returned to the contest one last time at under five and a half minutes to go, the outcome and the streak on the line. He had a mere six points on 3 for 15 from the field at that juncture.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to tie the game and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have gotten him to double digits.

He avoided taking a subsequent shot – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves found him as time wound down, yet LeBron opted to make the pass instead.

The basketball deities, if you approach it correctly, they tend to repay you,” the coach concluded.

A Look Back at a Staggering Record

James's streak started over eighteen years ago. It stood as the most extended streak of its kind the league has ever seen: His Airness, Michael Jordan previously held a streak of 866 consecutive games with 10+ points, Kareem had 787 such games, and The Mailman had the fourth-longest run of 575 games.

He is such an unselfish player,” noted teammate Jake LaRavia.

He simply plays the game of basketball. He could have shot but given who he is on the court and just who he is as a person, he executed the team play, found Rui and we won the victory.”

Scoring in double figures was usually a formality early in the final period. Over the course of the record, he had achieved the 10-point mark by the beginning of the final quarter on the vast majority of occasions before this game.

However, two of those unusual single-digit games after three periods took place just days before: He recorded nine points entering the final quarter versus the Mavericks last week, and then had six before the fourth quarter against Phoenix earlier in the week.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive in the Phoenix game. One game later, it was over – and he celebrated anyway.

I only ever make the correct play. That is instinctive, no matter what,” James declared. “You make the right play, the game gods forever giving back to me.”