“We didn’t want to see those guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. Backs against the wall, we just responded.
“So many different guys chipped in. It was a whole team effort. I’m really proud of this group.”
The victory means the NBA finals will go to game seven for the first time since 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first Championship with a 4-3 series win against the Golden State Warriors.
The Thunder will host game seven on Monday (01:00 BST) but will need a much improved performance to win their first Championship since 1979.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly-crowned Most Valuable Player, top scored for the Thunder with 21 points but his side paid the price for missing their first eight shots of the game, which gave the Pacers an early eight-point lead.
“Credit Indiana,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes. They went out there and attacked the game.”
Monday’s game will mark the 20th time the NBA Finals have gone to game seven, with the home side in the decider triumphing 15 times.
