LeBron James remained unfazed as his remarkable scoring streak, lasting almost two decades, came to a close.
On Thursday, Rui Hachimura sank a buzzer-beater from beyond the arc, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a narrow 123-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. James, regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, scored only eight points, thereby ending his extraordinary run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with double-digit points.
When asked about his emotions regarding the end of the streak, which began on January 5, 2007, James responded succinctly while at his locker: “None. We won.”
Despite the low scoring, James contributed 11 assists and six rebounds for the Lakers, who now hold a record of 16-5.
The 40-year-old forward missed training camp for the first time in his illustrious 23-year career due to sciatic nerve issues and also sat out the first 14 games of the Lakers’ season.
“I’m still figuring out my rhythm and everything offensively, knowing I can still have an impact when I’m on the court,” James stated. “But I’m still trying to gauge it.”
Austin Reaves delivered a standout performance, scoring 44 points and providing 10 assists, effectively compensating for the absence of Luka Doncic, who is a frontrunner for the NBA MVP award but did not accompany the team to Toronto for personal matters.
Scottie Barnes recorded a double-double for the Raptors, finishing with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, playing a key role in limiting James’s impact during the game.
“I thought Scottie did an exceptional job on him,” commented Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic, noting that James did not attempt a single free throw, shot 4 for 17 from the field, and missed all five of his attempts from three-point range. “A significant factor was Scottie, putting him in challenging situations.”
Rajakovic acknowledged James’s skill, stating, “He is a player who excels with the ball. With his size and understanding of the game, he has an excellent court vision.”
Barnes expressed admiration for the length of James’s scoring streak while also commending his selflessness in passing the ball, particularly on Hachimura’s winning shot.
“Some players are just natural scorers, and he has been so dominant in the game for a long time that you wouldn’t be surprised. It’s LeBron,” Barnes remarked. “At that point, it isn’t shocking to see him do (that).
“His athleticism, game awareness, speed, and strength make him tough to defend against, which is why he is LeBron James.”
Raptors guard Ja’Kobe Walter, who is just 21 and was born a year after James started his NBA career, expressed amazement at being part of the defense that halted the streak.
“I grew up watching him, and knowing that he’s had that streak going until today is pretty cool to be a part of,” said Walter. “But it’s wild to think about.”