This is new ground for LeBron James.
The first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons in the league, James saw a legendary streak come to an end on Thursday night, even though his Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 123-120, to improve to 16-5.
For the first time since Jan. 5, 2007, James failed to score 10 points in a game -- a 1,297-game run that ended when he passed up on a shot of his own to assist Rui Hachimura for the game-winning 3-pointer in Toronto.
The end of such a lengthy streak has led fans to wonder whether James is battling an injury, as he is averaging only 14 points on 41 percent shooting in six games this season.
But according to James himself, he's just "old."
"You wake up with s--- that you didn't have the night before," James said after he missed the Lakers' win over the New Orleans Pelicans last Sunday.
LeBron on the left ankle injury that kept him out vs. Pelicans:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 2, 2025
“It’s called old… You just wake up with sh*t that you didn’t have the night before.”
(Via @mcten)pic.twitter.com/SSbsnTKSms
James did not debut this season until Nov. 18 as he worked himself back into basketball shape amid an offseason sciatica flare-up.
The condition manifested in nerve pain that affected James' glutes, lower back and right leg. James has been working through the condition since the summer of 2023.
So while the NBA's all-time leading scorer is not actively injured, there are multiple small issues that the 40-year-old is trying to manage as he tries to contribute to a Lakers team that is expecting to fight for a championship.
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LeBron James has three-word response to his scoring streak coming to an end