LeBron James was unmoved when his historic scoring streak that spanned nearly two decades ended.
Rui Hachimura hit a buzzer-beating three as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Toronto Raptors 123-120 on Thursday. James, one of the best NBA players of all-time, managed only eight points for L.A., snapping his record-setting streak of 1,297 consecutive double-digit scoring games in the regular season.
James was asked what feelings he had about the run — which dated back to Jan. 5, 2007 — coming to an end.
"None," said James, standing at his locker. "We won."
James still finished with 11 assists and six rebounds for the Lakers (16-5).
The 40-year-old James missed training camp for the first time in his storied 23-year career due to sciatic nerve irritation. He also missed the first 14 games of Los Angeles's season.
"I'm still figuring my rhythm, figuring out everything, as far as offensively, knowing I can still make an impact on the floor when I'm out there," said James. "But I'm still trying to feel it out."
Austin Reaves exploded for 44 points with 10 assists, more than making up for the absence of Luka Doncic, an early candidate for NBA MVP. He didn't travel to Toronto with the Lakers for personal reasons.
Scottie Barnes had a double-double for the Raptors (15-8) with 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. He was also primarily responsible for shutting down James in the loss.
“I thought that Scottie did an outstanding job on him," said Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic, who noted that James didn't get a single free throw, was 4 for 17 on field goals and missed all five of his three-point attempts. "A big reason was Scottie, putting him in tough positions and tough situations.
"At the same time, (James is) a player who is really good with the ball. With his size and his understanding of the game, he sees the court really well."
Barnes marvelled at the length of James's streak, but also praised his unselfishness and willingness to pass the ball, including on Hachimura's game-winner.
“Some guys are just natural scorers, and he’s been so dominant in the game for so long, so you wouldn’t even be surprised. It’s LeBron," said Barnes. "You wouldn’t be surprised at that point, with him doing (that).
"His athleticism, the way he reads the game, how fast he is, how strong, physical. It’s pretty hard to guard and hard to stop (him), so that’s why he is LeBron James."
Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter who, at 21 years old was born a year after James's NBA career began, said it was shocking to be a part of the defence that ended the streak.
"I grew up watching him, and to know that he's always had that streak going and it's ended today, it's pretty cool just to be a part of it," said Walter. "But it's pretty crazy to think about."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2025.
