TORONTO — LeBron James’ record streak of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with double-digit points ended Thursday night, when the NBA’s career points leader was held to eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors.
James could have tried to win the game — and extend the streak — on the final possession, but he instead passed the ball to Rui Hachimura in the left corner.
Hachimura’s 3-pointer dropped as time expired, and James — who has said countless times over his 23-year career that he always tries to make the right and smartest play — threw his hands in the air in celebration.
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“Bron told me right before this, ‘I got you. It’s going to come to you,'” Hachimura said in an on-court televised interview.
With that, the streak ended. The win was all that evidently mattered.
“LeBron is acutely aware of how many points he has at that point,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He did it like he’s done so many times.”
Before Thursday night, the last time James did not score at least 10 points in a regular-season game was Jan. 5, 2007, against the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished with eight points in that game.
James’ streak was easily the longest in NBA history, with the second-longest being held by Michael Jordan at 866 games. Among active players, you would have to add the streaks of the 11 players behind him to surpass his total of 1,297 consecutive games. Kevin Durant is the new active leader at 267 consecutive games.
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
