December 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n\n James was fully aware that if Hachimura scored, the streak would end. But Hachimura, in that moment, gave the Lakers the best chance of winning, James figured. And James didn\u2019t hesitate to fire the pass.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cJust playing the game the right way. You always make the right play,\u201d James said. \u201cThat\u2019s just been my M.O. That\u2019s how I was taught the game. I\u2019ve done that my whole career.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n James checked back into the game for the final time Thursday with 5:23 left, the outcome and the streak hanging in the balance.\n <\/p>\n
\n He had six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that point. He scored with 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have gotten him to double digits.\n <\/p>\n
\n He didn\u2019t take another shot \u2014 but could have. Lakers guard Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James was happy to get the assist.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cLeBron is acutely aware of how many points he has at that point,\u201d Lakers coach JJ Redick said. \u201cHe did it like he\u2019s done so many times. \u2026 The basketball gods, if you do it the right way, they tend to reward you.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n The last time James was held under 10 points in the regular season was Jan. 5, 2007, when he had eight points for Cleveland in a 95-86 win over Milwaukee. He had 19 the next night against New Jersey, and the streak had rolled on ever since.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cYou tip your hat to a guy who just cares about winning and making the right play,\u201d Reaves said. \u201cThat\u2019s what he\u2019s done his whole career.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n James was held under 10 points twice in the playoffs during the regular-season streak, once in 2011 and again in 2014. Jordan still has the longest streak, counting playoffs, of double-digit scoring games at 1,045.\n <\/p>\n
\n Including playoffs, James\u2019 streak ended at 865 consecutive 10-point games.\n <\/p>\n
\n It would take a long, long time for someone to catch James\u2019 regular-season total. Houston\u2019s Kevin Durant now has the longest streak at 267 games \u2014 meaning he\u2019d have to play until he\u2019s at least 49 or so to break the record. The next-longest streak is by Oklahoma City\u2019s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has 170 consecutive double-digit efforts.\n <\/p>\n
\n Gilgeous-Alexander could catch James \u2014 that is, if he keeps the streak going for another 14 years, when he\u2019ll be 41.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cHe\u2019s such an unselfish player,\u201d Lakers center Jake LaRavia said of James. \u201cHe\u2019s just playing the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of the player he is and just who he is as a person, he made the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n James reaching double figures was usually an afterthought long before the start of fourth quarters. During the streak, he had reached the 10-point mark through three quarers 1,266 times entering Thursday.\n <\/p>\n
\n But two of those single-digit games through three quarters had come in the last week or so: He had nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on Nov. 28, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.\n <\/p>\n
\n James managed to extend the streak that night. One game later, it was done \u2014 and he celebrated anyway.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cI always just make the right play. That\u2019s automatic, win, lose or draw,\u201d James said. \u201cYou make the right play, the game gods are always giving back to me.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n By his own description, he\u2019s not in rhythm yet, after missing the entire preseason and all but six games of the regular season with an injury \u2014 and it showed as he missed his first six shots on Thursday, with three of them not even close.\n <\/p>\n
\n And he remembers all the times he\u2019s been criticized for passing the ball in big moments. He always said the right play is the right play, and those words rung true again Thursday.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cI remember everything that\u2019s been negatively said about me and my game throughout my career,\u201d James said. \u201cAnd that aspect has been one of the most foolish things I\u2019ve ever heard as far as making the right pass, making the right play. We are in the business of winning basketball games and my whole life I\u2019ve just played the game that way. I\u2019ve taught the game that way. I\u2019ve won at every single level I\u2019ve played at by playing the game that way.\u201d\n <\/p>\n