CLEVELAND -- Thanks to a 98-87 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers sent their fans home happy on Easter.
But with two more points, it could have been even happier.
Due to a promotion with McDonald's, fans in attendance receive a free 10-piece Chicken McNuggets following any game in which the Cavs score 100 or more points. This season, the promotion has been a smashing success, with Cleveland averaging 111.6 points per game at home.
Sunday, however, was different -- although the Cavs did have a chance to secure what would have been their fifth straight home game of having hit the century mark in scoring. With 19 seconds remaining, London Perrrantes missed a 3-point attempt, which Cleveland followed by grabbing a team offensive rebound.
But rather than take another shot -- literally -- at reaching 100 points, the Cavs instead opted to dribble out the clock -- much to the half-hearted disdain of their fans. After the game, All-Star forward Kevin Love joked about his team's failure to seal the meal.
"We were laughing about that because they were a little upset," Love said with a smile. "We have two (regular-season) games left here. We couldn't make it a happy Easter. It's just Easter. Sorry, you didn't get nuggets. Go home and eat now."
Cavs fans being disappointed by a lack of free food isn't anything new.
In 2009, Cleveland fans routinely booed when the team failed to reach its requirements for what was then a promotion with Taco Bell. Following the Cavs' final game of the regular season, LeBron James even addressed the crowd about what he viewed as distasteful behavior.
“We’re all a family and sometimes families have disagreements,” James said, via UPROXX. “If we win, 99-20, don’t boo us because you don’t get a free chalupa.”
“We want to bring you all a championship,” James said. “Not tacos.”
Seven years later, James would deliver on that promise. As far as free McNuggets are concerned, however, Cavs fans will have to wait until Tuesday's game against the Toronto Raptors for their next opportunity.
