LeBron James lets record go for the win

December 6, 2025 Oliver Obel

As reported by The Guardian, James finished with eight points in the Lakers’ 123–120 victory over the Toronto Raptors, ending his run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with at least 10 points. The last big moment belonged to Rui Hachimura, who buried a corner three after James drew a second defender and kicked the ball out just before the buzzer.

Afterward, James didn’t entertain the idea that he’d hesitated over the streak.

“None,” he said. “We won.”

He had already missed a mid-range jumper minutes earlier that might have extended the streak. When Austin Reaves shoveled him the ball in the final seconds, James surveyed the court, gave a small nod toward the left corner, and fired the pass. Hachimura’s shot dropped, and James briefly clapped at midcourt before turning toward the bench.

The Decision Fit the Player

James wasn’t surprised by the question afterward.

“Just playing the game the right way. You always make the right play,” he said, noting it was how he was taught the sport from the start.

Coach JJ Redick added, per The Guardian, that James knew exactly how many points he had. Still, Redick said, he reacted “like he’s done so many times,” trusting the read instead of the record.

A few teammates said the same. Center Jake LaRavia shrugged when asked if the unselfish pass surprised him:

“He’s such an unselfish player.”

Putting the Streak in Context

James’ streak began on January 6, 2007 — a month before the first iPhone was released and long before most of his current teammates entered college. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the gap between his streak and the league’s next-longest remains enormous: Michael Jordan at 866, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 787, Karl Malone at 575.

And truthfully, the streak had begun wobbling a bit in the past week. Twice he entered the fourth quarter below 10 points. He extended it once. The second time, he let it go.

Moving Forward Without the Number

If the moment carried any weight for him personally, he didn’t show it.

“I always just make the right play. That’s automatic, win, lose or draw,” he said. “You make the right play, the game gods are always giving back to me.”

The streak ended on Thursday — but James ended it his way, which might say more than the number ever did.

Sources: The Guardian, ESPN.