Defensive maestro Daniels collects NBA career-high in steals

Playing against one of the best backcourts in the competition, the 19-year-old former Bendigo Braves guard had a career-high four steals - all in the first half.

His defensive work helped the Pelicans gain a three-point lead at the main break.

They maintained that advantage going into the final quarter.

However, the Pelicans' offence stalled early in the last quarter and the Cavs, urged on by their parochial home crowd, unleashed an 11-0 run to break the game open.

The Pelicans never recovered and went down 113-103.

Daniels, who was in the starting five, played 28 minutes and had four points, four assists, three rebounds and four steals.

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He was the only Pelicans player to have a positive plus/minus rating for the match. The Pels were plus eight points when Daniels was on the court.

"I thought he was really good defensively, especially in the first half,'' Pelicans' coach Willie Green said of Daniels.

"Physical, getting deflections, getting steals and allowing us to get out and play on the open floor at the offensive end."

Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell was held to just 11 points in more than 20 minutes of game time before he left the court with a groin injury.

His backcourt partner Darius Garland stepped up for the Cavs in the final term and finished the game with 30 points.

Playing without injured duo Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans have started to lose touch with Denver and Memphis in the battle for the top two places in the western conference standings.

The Pelicans are third with a 26-18 record - one place ahead of Maryborough's Matthew Dellavedova and the Sacramento Kings (24-18).

The Pelicans' next game is at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday (AEDT). The Kings take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers the same day.

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