LeBron James finally had one of those nights. For the first time in nearly 19 years, he didn’t reach double digits in a regular-season game.
His streak of 1,297 straight games with at least 10 points came to a close in Toronto, as he finished with only eight. Despite that, the Los Angeles Lakers won the game.
That alone would have been big news. But the moment spread even faster once fans noticed something funny online.
According to a playful post making the rounds, LeBron wasn’t done after all. Thanks to a creative loophole pointed out by Underdog NBA on X, he apparently extended a different kind of streak.
He has now scored 10 or more points in 1,276 straight games played inside the United States.
Yes, really. Fans grabbed onto the stat and ran with it, turning what could have been a downer into one more celebration of LeBron’s longevity.
He has done it.
— Underdog (@Underdog) December 8, 2025
LeBron extends his United States 10+ points streak to 1,276 games. Pic.twitter.com/0qBvdvNPXS
The night the original streak ended
What made the whole thing even more LeBron-like was how it happened. The Lakers and Raptors were tied late. Austin Reaves was cooking with 44 points, the Raptors sent a double at him and LeBron caught the ball at the top of the arc with a chance to win.
He could have forced his shot and kept the streak alive. Instead, he made the pass he’s been making for two decades. He kicked the ball to a wide-open Rui Hachimura, who buried the game-winner from the corner.
He chose the right basketball play over the personal milestone. That part surprised absolutely nobody.
After the game, he wasn’t interested in talking about the streak ending. His answer was simple. None. We won.
MORE: LeBron James' 10-point streak ends in the most LeBron James way possible
Why fans love this “new” streak so much
The internet needed something to latch onto, and this one worked perfectly.
LeBron didn’t score 10 points in Toronto, but the streak didn’t end on American soil. Suddenly, a brand new stat was born, and it’s hilarious in the best possible way.
It’s a reminder of how long he has dominated games. It’s also a reminder that fans will find any way to keep history alive, especially when it comes to a player who has lasted longer at the top than anyone realistically should.
Is it official? No. Is it fun? Absolutely.
The bigger picture around LeBron’s scoring
Even with the streak ending, the numbers behind it are ridiculous.
Only 24 players in NBA history have even played 1,297 games. LeBron scored at least 10 points in all 1,297 of those outings. Over that stretch, he piled up more points than some legends have in their full careers.
He has also recorded more 50-point games than single-digit games. That doesn’t even sound real until you double-check it.
And despite breaking every scoring expectation ever handed to him, he still doesn’t like calling himself a scorer. He just calls himself a guy who plays the game the right way.
What comes next?
LeBron and the Lakers are at home against the Spurs on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the league has plenty of streaks still alive, including a monster one from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. If you like tracking history, there’s no shortage of it this season.
But LeBron finding a way to still have a double-figure scoring streak, even unofficially, even thanks to a technicality, might be the funniest moment of them all.
It fits him. The basketball world wanted the streak to live on, and in a way, it does.
Fans are going to run with this one for a while. And honestly, they should. It’s not often you get to keep a legend’s streak alive with one simple twist.
Long live the United States 10 10-point streak.
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