LeBron James Ends 18-Year Streak of Double-Digit Scoring, Lakers Clinch Win Over Raptors
In a night that marked the end of an era for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer found himself in a rare position - with a double-digit scoring streak that had spanned nearly two decades finally over. The Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 123-120, with James contributing eight points, a stark contrast to his usual form.
As the clock ticked down, James was asked about the significance of ending his record-breaking streak, which stood at an impressive 1,297 consecutive double-digit regular-season scoring games. "None," he replied matter-of-factly, choosing instead to celebrate the Lakers' hard-fought win. "We won."
In a testament to James's unselfish nature and basketball acumen, he made the pass that sealed the game-winning three-pointer for teammate Rui Hachimura with just seconds left on the clock. The decision was met with approval from his coach, JJ Redick, who praised James for playing "the right way" and sticking to his instincts.
Throughout the season, James had become increasingly accustomed to reaching double digits by the fourth quarter, a habit that had served him well throughout his career. However, in recent weeks, he had shown signs of vulnerability, with two single-digit performances in his last two games. Tonight's outing was no exception, as he went 3-for-15 from the field.
Despite this, James remained focused and determined to make the right play. "Just playing the game the right way," he explained. "You always make the right play."
His teammates were quick to follow suit, hailing James's decision as a prime example of his selflessness and leadership on the court. As Lakers center Jake LaRavia noted, "He's 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."
The streak, which began on January 6, 2007, was a remarkable achievement that surpassed Michael Jordan's record of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone also had notable runs, but James's remained the longest in NBA history.
As the Lakers celebrate their victory, LeBron James can take pride in knowing he played it with class, even when the stakes were high and his own legacy was on the line. "The basketball gods... tend to reward you" for making the right play, as Redick noted. For James, that's a philosophy that has served him well throughout his illustrious career.
In a night that marked the end of an era for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer found himself in a rare position - with a double-digit scoring streak that had spanned nearly two decades finally over. The Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 123-120, with James contributing eight points, a stark contrast to his usual form.
As the clock ticked down, James was asked about the significance of ending his record-breaking streak, which stood at an impressive 1,297 consecutive double-digit regular-season scoring games. "None," he replied matter-of-factly, choosing instead to celebrate the Lakers' hard-fought win. "We won."
In a testament to James's unselfish nature and basketball acumen, he made the pass that sealed the game-winning three-pointer for teammate Rui Hachimura with just seconds left on the clock. The decision was met with approval from his coach, JJ Redick, who praised James for playing "the right way" and sticking to his instincts.
Throughout the season, James had become increasingly accustomed to reaching double digits by the fourth quarter, a habit that had served him well throughout his career. However, in recent weeks, he had shown signs of vulnerability, with two single-digit performances in his last two games. Tonight's outing was no exception, as he went 3-for-15 from the field.
Despite this, James remained focused and determined to make the right play. "Just playing the game the right way," he explained. "You always make the right play."
His teammates were quick to follow suit, hailing James's decision as a prime example of his selflessness and leadership on the court. As Lakers center Jake LaRavia noted, "He's 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."
The streak, which began on January 6, 2007, was a remarkable achievement that surpassed Michael Jordan's record of 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone also had notable runs, but James's remained the longest in NBA history.
As the Lakers celebrate their victory, LeBron James can take pride in knowing he played it with class, even when the stakes were high and his own legacy was on the line. "The basketball gods... tend to reward you" for making the right play, as Redick noted. For James, that's a philosophy that has served him well throughout his illustrious career.
i mean we've seen him dominate games like it was nothing but tonight he showed us his true leadership skills 
by making that clutch pass to rui and letting the game-winner happen. its crazy how much humility he's shown in this moment, just saying "we won" and leaving all the attention on the team 
love it.
lebron james is still the king even if he didnt score double digits tonight 
i mean who else can say they played in 1,297 consecutive games with double digit scoring? thats just insane! and yeah he made a great pass to rui that sealed the win for the lakers 
. it's all about playing the right way and making the unselfish play, you feel me? 
. I mean, 18 years is a long time and it feels like we've all seen it coming. And can't he just score some decent points for once? 
Like, eight points in a game? That's not even a double-digit performance in my book. But hey, I guess that's what happens when you're trying to win the game over your teammates instead of just scoring buckets. 
. Like, LeBron says his streak doesn't matter because he won the game? Give me a break. I want some actual quotes or something that makes sense. Just saying... 
and yeah, it's cool that he ended the streak but let's be real, he's been playing the right way for years now 
no need to draw attention to himself, just making the right play 
and honestly who needs a streak anyway? 18 years is a long time, but did we really need that kind of pressure on our nba stars? 
what's more impressive though is how he carried himself on the court even when things weren't going his way. that's leadership right there 
he gave up his streak and it was pretty epic 
and rui hachimura is on fire 
we love you lebron 
. That's what teammates are for, right? He made the pass that sealed the win, and his coach was all about that selfless play 
️. it's not about the individual record, but about bringing home the W for your team 
and it's crazy to think about how far he's come since 2007 
. I mean, who needs all those points when you can make the right play and pass to your teammate? 
His reaction "None" is so on point btw 
. It's actually kind of refreshing to see him prioritize the team win over his own stats. He's always been about being a leader on and off the court, but this is just another example of that 
. And let's be real, 40+ years old and still dominating on the court? The G.O.A.T. for life 
. I mean, 8 points is a far cry from the dominant force we're used to seeing on the court 
. He's still got it, just not scoring like he used to 
.
LeBron finally breaks his 18-year double-digit scoring streak, and it's kinda sad to see him doin' less damage on the court 
. He's always been about the team, but now he's gotta deal with the pressure of bein' human 
rui had the hot shot tho, nice job lakers! 
