LeBron James’ Short and Sweet Reply After His 19-Year Streak Ends in Lakers Game
LeBron James gave a simple answer when his amazing 19-year scoring streak came to an end, as the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly beat the Toronto Raptors 123-120.
Even though his streak ended, LeBron still played a big part in the Lakers’ 16th win this season, grabbing six rebounds and handing out 11 assists.
The most memorable moment was right at the end, when LeBron chose not to take a game-winning shot himself. Instead, he passed the ball to Rui Hachimura, who hit a three-pointer just as the buzzer sounded.
That selfless move ended LeBron’s incredible run of scoring double digits in 1,297 straight regular-season games, a streak that started back on January 6, 2007. He finished the game with 8 points.
When asked about his streak ending, LeBron kept it simple: “None, we won.” He emphasized how important it is to make the right plays for the team, not just focus on personal stats. “I’ve always been about playing the right way and making the right play,” he said. “That’s how I was taught, and that’s how I’ve played my whole career.”
His streak is way longer than any other NBA player’s, beating big names like Michael Jordan (866 games), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (787), and Karl Malone (575).
LeBron’s consistency has made him one of the greatest players ever, and he’s the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. In March 2024, he became the first player to score 40,000 points, and now his total stands at an impressive 42,268.
His ability to keep playing at such a high level at this stage of his career has earned praise from around the basketball world, including Lakers coach JJ Redick. “LeBron knows exactly how many points he has at any time,” Redick said. “And he did it like he always does.”
LeBron’s unselfishness also amazed his teammates. Lakers center Jake LaRavia said, “He’s so unselfish. He plays the game the right way. Even when he had the chance to take the shot, he passed to Rui because that’s just who he is as a person—and it helped us win the game.”