LeBron James’ incredible 18-year streak of scoring 10 or more points in regular-season NBA games has finally ended. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 123-120, but James scored only eight points. His streak lasted 1,297 games in a row, showing amazing consistency over nearly two decades.
Despite scoring just eight points against the Raptors, James wasn’t worried about his personal stats. According to the BBC, he was focused on winning the game instead. At 40 years old, he’s clearly putting team success ahead of personal records, even one as huge as this.
When reporters asked about the record ending, James kept it simple. “Just playing the game the right way,” he said. He explained that he was taught to “Always make the right play.” For him, winning comes first, and personal numbers come second.
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LeBron proved winning matters more than personal stats
Even though his shots weren’t going in, James made the most important play of the night. He finished with 11 assists and passed the ball to Rui Hachimura for the game-winning shot at the buzzer. That pass mattered far more than scoring two more points to keep his streak alive.
James had a rough shooting night overall. He made only four of his 17 shot attempts. He also missed all five of his three-point shots, which explains why his score stayed low. Off the court , his praise for rising NFL talent shows he still keeps a close eye on young athletes across different sports.
This is the first time James failed to score at least 10 points in a regular season game since January 2007. He broke Michael Jordan’s previous record by an amazing 431 games. That huge gap shows just how dedicated and consistent LeBron has been throughout his career.
Austin Reaves saved the Lakers with an incredible performance. He scored 44 points and added 10 assists for a double-double. His big night was crucial since James was struggling, and the league’s top scorer, Luka Doncic, wasn’t playing. Interestingly, rumors about LeBron’s thoughts on Luka’s playing style have been circulating among NBA insiders.
James is now in his 23rd NBA season, which is unheard of for most players. While his scoring streak is over, his legacy stays strong. He’s already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. In March, he became the first player ever to score 50,000 points combining regular-season and playoff games. This ended streak is just a small detail in one of basketball’s greatest careers.
Published: Dec 5, 2025 12:45 pm