LeBron James’s historic scoring streak ends after over 18 years, and the win mattered more than the number. James’ NBA-record run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with at least 10 points concluded Thursday in Toronto, a decision he made himself to prioritize winning over extending the streak. He set up Rui Hachimura for the final shot, and Hachimura nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as the Lakers defeated the Raptors 123-120. James finished with eight points and said he had no regrets.
“None,” James remarked. “We won.”
The streak began on January 6, 2007 and endured for nearly two decades, the longest in NBA history. By comparison, Michael Jordan logged 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 787, and Karl Malone 575. James understood the risk: if Hachimura scored, the streak would end. Yet the Lakers’ chance to win outweighed that risk, so he delivered the assist without hesitation.
“Just playing the game the right way. You always make the right play,” James said. “That’s just been my M.O. That’s how I was taught the game. I’ve done that my whole career.”
James checked back in for the final stretch with 5:23 remaining, the outcome and the streak hanging in the balance. He had six points on 3-for-15 shooting at that moment. He tied the game with 1:46 left but missed a 14-footer with 1:01 to go that could have given him double digits. He didn’t take another shot, though Lakers guard Austin Reaves offered him the ball in the final seconds; James was happy to earn the assist.
“LeBron is acutely aware of how many points he has at that point,” Lakers coach JJ Redick noted. “He did it like he’s done so many times. … The basketball gods, if you do it the right way, they tend to reward you.”
The last time James was held to fewer than 10 points in a regular-season game within the streak was January 5, 2007, when he scored eight for Cleveland in a 95-86 win over Milwaukee. He posted 19 the next night and the streak continued from there. Reaves praised James’s approach: a player who cares about winning and making the right play.
During the playoffs, James had two single-digit playoff games within the streak (2011 and 2014). Counting playoffs, Michael Jordan’s 1,045 still outpaces James’ total. James’ streak ended at 865 consecutive 10-point games when including playoffs, while Kevin Durant now holds the longest current streak at 267 regular-season games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sits a distant second with 170 straight double-digit efforts, a figure that could be reached only if he continues for many years.
Lakers center Jake LaRavia lauded James’s unselfishness: a star who could have taken the shot but chose to pass for the team’s victory. James’s penchant for making the right play has defined his career, and he reflected on the criticism he’s faced for passing in big moments. He remains convinced that playing to win and making the right decisions is the core of basketball success, something he has taught and lived by throughout every level he has played at.
