TORONTO — Probably the most historic streaks in sports activities historical past ended with LeBron James’ fingers within the air. The participant who had scored a minimum of 10 factors in almost 1,300 straight regular-season video games wanted another basket to maneuver it to a different recreation.
As a substitute, with the sport on the road, James whipped a go to teammate Rui Hachimura within the nook for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
“Simply taking part in the sport the precise approach. You all the time make the precise play,” James stated. “That’s simply been my M.O. That’s how I used to be taught the sport. I’ve performed that my entire profession.”
Thursday night time, for the primary time in an NBA common season recreation since Jan. 5, 2007, James failed to achieve double digits. He completed with eight factors and 11 assists within the Lakers’ 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Enviornment.
He raised his arms in triumph, a wild approach for the statistical anomaly to return to an in depth.
“I keep in mind him getting ridiculed for it early on, when he would make the precise play and his teammate would shoot the game-winner,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated. “He did it like he’s performed so many occasions.”
Requested if he had any response to the top of the streak, James stated, “none.”
“We received.”
The streak, which lasted 1,297 regular-season video games and predates the announcement of the primary iPhone, ended on an evening when James couldn’t get a shot to fall, making simply 4 of 17. Raptors ahead Scottie Barnes swatted a jumper with a minute left on what could be James’ last discipline aim try of the sport.
“He’s all the time making the precise play. That’s what he will get criticized for, for making the precise play. It doesn’t make sense,” stated Barnes, who was the first defender on James all through the night time. “Individuals need him to be totally different in that facet. However he’s all the time going to make the precise play.”
James’ run of double-digit scoring video games dwarfed the second-longest streak in NBA historical past, set by Michael Jordan throughout 866 straight video games from March 25, 1986, to Dec. 26, 2001. James had two playoff video games by which he failed to attain 10 factors for the reason that streak started.
The present longest energetic double-digit scoring streak is 267 video games, held by Kevin Durant. To match James’ streak, Durant, 37, would wish to play till he’s almost 50.
Final time LeBron scored beneath 10 factors:
— Twitter was lower than a 12 months previous— Bronny was 2 years previous— Cooper Flagg was 15 days previous— George W Bush was president
1,297 straight video games — tonight, the streak ended. pic.twitter.com/jRFLBi2aw9
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 5, 2025
The run started after James scored simply eight factors in a 95-86 Cleveland Cavaliers win towards the Milwaukee Bucks in early January of his fourth NBA season. He scored 19 within the following recreation to start the streak.
There have been a number of shut calls earlier than Thursday.
The streak almost ended on March 20, 2021, when Solomon Hill crashed into James’ leg, inflicting James to endure a excessive ankle sprain. James, who had seven factors on the time, surprisingly stayed within the recreation and hit a 3 on the following possession earlier than he exited. He missed greater than a month with the damage.
He scored 10 factors on a 4-of-16 taking pictures night time final December towards the Minnesota Timberwolves, one among eight occasions by which he scored precisely 10 throughout the streak.
James’ streak additionally almost ended Monday night time in a blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns. He entered the fourth quarter with simply six factors, however hit a 3-pointer with slightly below seven minutes left to get himself to 10. The basket minimize Phoenix’s result in 22 factors. James subbed out a minute later.
Former NBA veteran Chandler Parsons advised James was stat-padding.
Chandler Parsons says LeBron stat-padded to get 10 factors final night time and believes the Lakers are catering to his legacy as a substitute of specializing in the season 🤯
That is additionally the primary time Chandler has seen LeBron look his age. The tip may very well be close to. @MichelleDBeadle |… pic.twitter.com/CUPOLDTCOT
— Run It Again (@RunItBackFDTV) December 2, 2025
“I received to be trustworthy, I didn’t prefer it,” Parsons stated on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Again” present. “This was the primary time in my life I noticed an older LeBron James, who performed and regarded like his age. After sitting out the night time earlier than towards New Orleans, I assumed this was an ideal night time for him to simply go loopy and sort of carry this staff to a victory. Luka (Dončić) went nuts early on, Austin Reaves was struggling, and LeBron James, he didn’t appear to be himself.
“For me, that’s the primary time I’ve ever seen him like that. It was a pleasant gesture for JJ to proceed to maintain him in there, and he positively was looking for it, and he was not popping out till he received it. This simply felt like step one on the way in which out — catering to his legacy as a substitute of specializing in this season and the sport that was already over. Congrats, I suppose, however I simply didn’t adore it, and it was simply apparent what he was doing.”
James, the NBA’s all-time main scorer, is taking part in in his report twenty third season. He missed all of coaching camp and the primary 14 Lakers video games this season due to sciatic nerve irritation.
“He’s been so dominant within the recreation for therefore lengthy, you wouldn’t even be shocked,” Barnes stated of the scoring streak. “It’s LeBron.”
— Shakeia Taylor and Eric Koreen contributed to this story.
