After 1,297 games and 18 years, goodbye to LeBron James' record: "I don't care, we won"

LeBron James knew his streak could end, but at that moment it wasn't important. With the game tied and the last possession in his hands, he chose to pass the ball. And with that gesture, his legendary sequence of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games scoring at least ten points came to an end. 18 years, 10 months, and 29 days.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer was held to eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors, although he made the decisive assist: a pass to Rui Hachimura for the game-winning three-pointer.

When asked about how he felt seeing his streak end, James was straightforward: “Nothing. We won”.

He could have gone for the final shot to reach double figures and close the game himself, but he chose to find the open teammate in the left corner instead. Hachimura made the shot, and James celebrated with his arms in the air. “You always have to make the right play. That's how I learned this sport and how I've played my whole career,” he explained.

His coach, JJ Redick, pointed out that James knew exactly how many points he had, but emphasized that he acted as he has many times before: by prioritizing reading the game. When he returned to the court for the last time with 5:23 left, he had six points on 3-for-15 shooting. He later scored a basket with 1:46 remaining to tie the game and missed a shot at 1:01 that would have given him ten points. After that, he didn't shoot again, although he had the opportunity when Austin Reaves passed him the ball in the final seconds.

Redick mentioned that “the basketball gods tend to reward you when you do the right thing”. And his teammates shared that view. “He’s a tremendously generous player. He had the chance, but because of who he is and how he understands the game, he passed to Rui and we won,” said Jake LaRavia.

James' streak, which began on January 6, 2007, was by far the longest in history: Michael Jordan reached 866 games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and Karl Malone had 575. Among active players, Kevin Durant now leads the list with 267 games, a far cry from the Lakers' forward.

The end was on the horizon

Although James usually reached double figures before the final quarter —accomplishing it in 1,266 of those games— he had two recent warnings: nine points before the fourth quarter against Dallas on November 28 and six against Phoenix on Monday. He managed to extend the streak against the Suns. One game later, it was over, yet the four-time champion showed no concern.

“I always make the right play. That's automatic. Whether you win, lose, or tie, you have to do the right thing. The game always gives back to me,” he stated after the game.

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