Another remarkable chapter in LeBron James’ storied career closed tonight against the Raptors. The Lakers pulled off a 123-120 win, but LeBron couldn’t carry his own streak. One person can carry so much weight, and he has, from being the first NBA player to enter his 23rd season, breaking his own record of never missing the start of a season, and, funnily enough, becoming the first father-son duo to replace his son, Bronny, in the starting lineup.

It’s now time for the 40-year-old to start thinking about passing the torch.

What makes LeBron’s 10-point streak historic?

A bittersweet moment came late in the game when LeBron James had a chance to keep his legendary streak alive. With the Lakers clinging to a narrow lead, he could have taken the final shot himself, but instead, he passed the ball to Rui Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura’s 3-pointer went in as time expired, giving the Lakers the win but leaving LeBron with just eight points.

That meant his incredible streak of 1,297 consecutive games scoring in double digits, the longest in NBA history, finally came to an end.

The streak was nothing short of legendary, beginning on January 6, 2007. To put it in perspective, Michael Jordan’s 866-game streak, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 787, and Karl Malone’s 575 all small in comparison to LeBron’s extraordinary run.

Even during this historic streak, there were moments when it seemed like it might finally end. Going into Thursday, LeBron had reached double digits by the start of the fourth quarter in 1,266 games, but just days earlier, he struggled. Against Dallas on November 28, he had only nine points entering the fourth, and against Phoenix on Monday, he had just six. He managed to extend the streak in Phoenix, but tonight it wasn’t meant to be.

LeBron finished the game shooting 4-of-17 from the floor, missing all five of his 3-point attempts, though he still contributed 11 assists and six rebounds as the Lakers improved to 16-5, sitting second in the Western Conference.

Despite the streak ending, LeBron didn’t seem bothered. Asked about it afterward, he simply said, “None. We won.” That mindset captures James’ approach over his career, records matter, but winning matters more. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty cool,'” James said, referring to passing Jordan’s record. “At first I was like, ‘That’s just another one of those records that’s kind of made up,’ but then I realized it’s not. It’s like a real record. But, I don’t know. I just go out and play.”

Play. That’s it. That’s what he’s here for, even at age 40 in his 23rd season.

Now the NBA world is left wondering: who could ever match this level of consistency? With 42,268 career points and a streak likely to stand for decades, LeBron’s mark isn’t just a record, it’s a testament to his longevity.

Top candidates who can break LeBron’s streak

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is the closest player still chasing LeBron’s legendary streak, but the gap is massive. Even with 267 straight games scoring in double digits, he’s still more than a thousand games behind James. Durant’s previous run of 562 consecutive 10-point games from 2009 to 2017 shows he’s capable, but the numbers tell the story, he’d basically need to play into his late 40s to even think about matching LeBron, which seems a bit far-fetched. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Next in line is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has a streak of 170 consecutive games scoring in double digits. In theory, he could catch LeBron, but only if he keeps it going for another 14 years, until he’s 41. His streak began in 2023, and the man is putting up MVP-level numbers: 32.8 points per game (2nd), 4.7 rebounds (99th), 6.5 assists (15th), and a 54.8% shooting clip (13th). Maintaining that streak shouldn’t be too difficult, but longevity is the real challenge.

Luka Doncic

Then there’s the Lakers’ rising star, Luka Doncic, third in line with a streak of 157 consecutive games scoring in double digits. His run also began in 2023, and he’s putting up eye-popping numbers: 35.3 points per game (1st), 8.9 rebounds (19th), 8.9 assists (4th), and 47.8% shooting (64th). Luka is the heart and soul of the Lakers right now, and while scoring 30+ points almost every night makes maintaining the streak seem doable, the road ahead is long and challenging.

Simply put, no one in the league is anywhere near LeBron’s streak. His record stands in a league of its own, untouchable for now and likely for years to come.