LeBron James personally ended the record in the most flawless manner.

In the Lakers vs. Raptors final play, the score was tied. Reaves was trapped by two defenders on the sideline and made a critical pass to James at the arc. With just 4 seconds left, the defender covering Rui Hachimura came over to help defend James. What was James’s next move?

He could have opted to aggressively attack and shoot for the win, which would have earned him his 10th point and continued his streak of double-digit games, plus a clutch shot. Even if he missed, the game would go into overtime, giving him five more minutes to keep the streak alive. Taking the shot was clearly the option with the highest reward.

However, James did not hesitate and chose a different path. He passed the ball to an open Rui Hachimura in the corner, willingly giving up the chance to extend his streak and making the most sensible decision on the court, just as he has done throughout his 23 seasons.

Playing the right way always earns the favor of the basketball gods. Hachimura nailed the game-winning three-pointer, ending James’s streak of 1,297 consecutive games scoring in double digits, but the Lakers secured the victory. When faced with records and wins, James has never prioritized the former. He plays to win and consistently makes choices aligned with his basketball philosophy, season after season for twenty-three years.

After the game, speaking about the final assist for the game-winner, James said, “Win or lose, I always make the right choice. That’s how I was raised, and that’s how I’ve always played.” Regarding the end of his streak, James remarked, “No feelings about it. We won.”

At any point in his career, James has always prioritized passing. He has often been criticized for passing in clutch moments, accused of shirking responsibility, but he has never wavered in his basketball principles: passing to an open teammate, trusting them unconditionally, and accepting whatever happens next.

That said, this might have been James’s worst offensive performance in his entire career. Throughout the game, he was tormented by the Raptors’ wing defenders, repeatedly driving inside to draw fouls without success, failing to make any three-pointers, shooting just 4-for-17 overall, and missing all five three-point attempts without even getting to the free-throw line once.

Yet, at the same time, James flawlessly fulfilled his role as the team’s facilitator, dishing out 11 assists including the final game-winning pass, without committing a single turnover. This set the record for the most assists in a single game this season without any turnovers in the league.

Entering his 23rd season, James does have moments where he looks aged, struggling to find his shot and unable to match the energy of players twenty years his junior. But even so, never doubt his ability to impact the game.

From his first game back after sciatic nerve pain, James has repeatedly killed games with his passing in the final quarter; today, although he only made four shots, he still had a crucial fast-break layup late in the game to keep the score close, and used his lifetime basketball instincts to decide the outcome in the final moments.

James said, “This is how I’ve won every level of basketball. So, I have no reason to change. At this level, the essence of basketball remains the same.”

This was truly a game that defines LeBron James’s entire career — always making the right choices on the court, staying true to the basketball philosophy he has upheld his whole life. He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and one of the best passers in league history, with only Stockton and Chris Paul having more assists than him.

The streak of 1,297 consecutive games scoring in double digits is unprecedented. To put it in perspective, aside from James, only 24 players have appeared in 1,297 games. The last time James scored fewer than 10 points was January 6, 2007, when he also recorded 9 assists.

At that time, James had just turned 22 years old, Bronny was only 2, Bryce was just 15 days old, and Durant, Curry, and Harden had yet to enter the league. J.R. Smith was just starting his rookie season.

This has been an incredibly long journey. The 1,297-game streak does not just reflect James’s scoring ability, but more so his superhuman physical durability. Today, he could have chosen to extend the streak, but he personally decided to end it in the most perfect way.

Heroes are as common as fish in the river, but how many can be like James, consistently being himself for twenty years? Records will inevitably end, and perhaps this was the best way for his to conclude.