LeBron James gave up his iconic double digits points record to clinch an all important win over the Los Angeles Lakers over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. James had not scored less than 10 points in an NBA game since January 2007, a record he held for1297 games. However with the clock ticking and a game to win, Lebron chose to give his record for a team win in Toronto.
James had 8 points with the scores tied in the final seconds of the game. Instead of forcing a shot, the veteran drove into the paint and passed the ball out to a wide-open Rui Hachimura, who drilled in the winning three-pointer. It sparked wild celebrations as Lakers' clinched a monumental win, but also marked the end of a long running streak.
When journalists asked LeBron for his thoughts on the streak ending, he replied: “None. We won.”
“I always just make the right play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw. You make the right play, the game gods are always giving back to me,” he added.
The last time LeBron James scored fewer than 10 points was in January 2007. He has since achieved that mark for every single game, doing so for a unbelievable 1297 games. James' streak remains by far the longest. Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, while Lakers' icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 with Karl Malone at fourth-longest run on 575.
It has been a difficult season for LeBron James who is well into father time. The 40-year-old has played just six games of the regular season due to an injury. He had also missed the entire pre-season.
Lakers have jumped to second in the Western Conference Standings as a result, with a 16-5 record after 21 games.
