LeBron James knew his record double-digit scoring streak was in jeopardy. And at the time, he didn’t care.
The good play was passing the ball – that’s what he did. And that’s how his streak ended.
James’ streak of 1,297 consecutive double-digit goals in the regular season ended Thursday night, when the NBA’s career scoring leader was held to eight points in the standings. Los Angeles Lakers‘ 123-120 victory on the Toronto Raptors. He got the assist and set up Rui HachimuraThe 3-pointer as time expires.
Afterwards, James was asked what he thought about the end of the sequence.
“None,” he said. “We won.”
James could have tried to win the game – and extend the streak – on the final possession, but instead passed to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura connected and James threw his hands in the air in celebration.
“You just have to play the game the right way. You always make the right play,” James said. “That’s just my MO. That’s how I was taught the game. I’ve been doing that my whole career.”
“LeBron is well aware of how many points he has at this point,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He did it like he’s done so many times.”
James returned to the game for the final time Thursday with 5:23 remaining, with the outcome and streak hanging in the balance. He had six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that point. He scored with 1:46 left to tie the score and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have brought him into double figures.
He didn’t take another photo – but he could have. Austin Reaves gave the ball to James with a few seconds left, but James chose to pass instead.
“The basketball gods, if you do it the right way, tend to reward you,” Redick said.
James’ streak began on January 6, 2007. It was, by far, the longest such streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest streak with 575.
Among active players, you would have to add the streaks of the 11 players behind James to surpass his total of 1,297 consecutive games. Kevin Durant is the new active leader with 267 consecutive games.
‘He’s such a selfless player,’ Lakers center Jake LaRavia said. “He’s just playing basketball. He had the opportunity, but because of the player he is and who he is as a person, he made an unselfish play, passed it on to Rui and we won the game.”
It was usually an afterthought, well before the fourth quarter began. During James’ streak, he hit the 10-point mark early in the fourth quarter 1,266 times on Thursday.
But two of those single-digit games over three quarters had come in the last week. He had nine points before the fourth against Dallas on November 28, he then collected six points before the fourth against Phoenix Monday evening.
James managed to extend the streak against the Suns. One game later, it was done – and he still celebrated.
“I always make the right play. It’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” James said. “You make the right play – the gambling gods always reward me.”
ESPN Research and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
