Pacers vs. Mavericks final score: Pacers defense smothers Mavericks, 103-78

The Indiana Pacers snapped the Dallas Mavericks' three-game winning streak on Thursday night, 103-78.

The Pacers, having just received news that Danny Granger will miss the remainder of the season due to knee surgery, played on as they have all season. Paul George had a game-high 24 points while also pulling down eight rebounds and serving six assists.

The Pacers defense stifled Dallas, holding them to 39 percent shooting on the night. The Mavericks also shot only 29 percent from beyond the arc. Dirk Nowitzki had a team-high 21 points on 10-of-20 shooting.

Roy Hibbert had a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. After ending Dallas' three-game winning streak, the Pacers are now on a three-game win streak of their own.

The Mavericks, still in pursuit of the eighth seed in the Western Conference, certainly took a blow Thursday night. With the Los Angeles Lakers losing to the Milwaukee Bucks, they dropped an opportunity to make a game up. The two teams play on April 2 in Los Angeles.

The Pacers are in a tight race for the second seed in the Eastern Conference. With the win, they've once again move up into the slot while the New York Knicks dropped back down to the third seed.