Herro has 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Bucks beat the Pacers 110-102 for first win of the season

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Tyler Herro had 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Indiana Pacers 110-102 on Monday night for their first win of the season.

The Bucks avoided their first 0-4 start since 1976-77, when they dropped their first five games and went on to finish 30-52.

Ryan Rollins scored 19 points, Kyle Kuzma scored 17 and Kel'el Ware scored 16 for the Bucks. Ware also had 14 rebounds for his second straight double-double.

Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton had 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Pascal Siakam collected 20 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

The Pacers were playing one night after a 136-109 victory at Brooklyn in which center Ivica Zubac sprained his left ankle, leaving him unavailable for Monday’s game.

Indiana also was missing T.J. McConnell (hamstring strain), Andrew Nembhard (back) and Ben Sheppard (meniscus tear).

An Indiana turnover led to a Nate Ament dunk that broke an 86-86 tie and put Milwaukee ahead for good with 10:08 left. Ament’s dunk started an 8-0 run, as Indiana missed its first six shots of the fourth quarter.

Milwaukee led 101-92 midway through the fourth quarter before Siakam scored six straight points to cut the deficit to three. The Bucks gained some breathing room with 3-pointers from Kasparas Jakučionis and Kuzma.

Myles Turner scored just six points for Milwaukee, but he had a number of key defensive plays down the stretch and had an offensive rebound that led to Kuzma's late 3-pointer.

The Fiserv Forum stands were less than one-third of the way full, as the game took place while the Milwaukee Brewers were playing Game 3 of the World Series at Tampa Bay. A score bug on the upper right corner of the video board above midcourt allowed fans to follow the game.

Pacers: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Bucks: Host Houston on Wednesday night.

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, left, goes up to score against Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, center, talks with Aaron Nesmith, left, and Larry Nance Jr., right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Indiana Pacers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (10) reacts to a turnover during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, left, dribbles against Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

The WNBA has moved Game 6 of the Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries to a 12:30 p.m. EDT tipoff Thursday at the home area of the Atlanta Hawks so that the NBA can keep its previously scheduled primetime contest that day.

The WNBA worked with the NBA to move the game to State Farm Arena, where Games 3 and 4 of the championship series were played.

The Hawks have a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that night that couldn't be moved to another date or place. The only way they could make it work was to play the early afternoon game. The Hawks' game against the Cavaliers was moved back an hour.

“The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we’re excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday. “We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta.”

Game 5 was set to start at 8 p.m. EDT Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase downplayed the difficulty of adjusting to the early tipoff for Game 6.

“What’s amazing is we’re always prepped for anything,” Nakase said. “So we’ve already scheduled. Made it really intentional. Main thing, rest and recover as best we can. We’ve had six games in 10 days during the regular season. So yeah, it’s really not affecting us. It’s just more we can control what we can control and that’s rest and recovery.”

Added Nakase when asked about remaining grounded through the series: “I just think we’re built for this. I think you can throw anything at our team, our organization, and we’re built for it. We like things that are hard for some reason. We love challenges.”

Because the State Farm Arena court will have to be changed for Thursday night’s Hawks game, the floor may have to be cleared quickly, even though there could be a celebration for a series-clinching win.

“We’re not really thinking about that right now,” Golden State guard Veronica Burton said. “Just focus on this game today and again, control what we can control. So right now it’s just Game 5 mentality.”

By playing Game 6 in the Hawks' arena, the Dream can have more than 17,000 fans. Their usual home, Gateway Center Arena in suburban College Park, Georgia, seats about 3,500.

Games 3 and 4 were sold out. Fans bought tickets quickly for Thursday's game, with more than 10,000 sold in the first 90 minutes they were on sale, according to a Dream spokesperson.

“Super excited that the game will be at State Farm,” Atlanta guard Jordin Canada said. “The crowd has shown up and showed out.”

Dream coach Karl Smesko said that he was happy it got worked out, but he feels bad for fans who would attend if it wasn't during working hours.

“I hope everybody gets to see it somehow and I know that for some people it’s not realistic, they have jobs and won’t be able to make it,” he said. “So I’m disappointed for that but I’m really hopeful that as many people can see the game as possible.”

It was the third time in the series that the WNBA made accommodations for the Dream to be able to play at the bigger arena. Game 3 was moved up a day to last Wednesday and Saturday’s contest started at 1 p.m. EDT so the Hawks could still host their home opener that night against Houston.

That game was moved back 30 minutes to allow more time for the arena staff to change the building over for the Hawks contest. Now there potentially could be a champion crowned that day so there will be more time between games.

“When we were done (changing the court after Game 4), I texted our CEO and I said, ‘Hey, if you need us to do it again, we’re ready to go,'” State Farm Arena chief facilities officer Amanda Mann said.

The NBA and WNBA explored options to keep the game in primetime. Both the Hawks and Cavaliers play Wednesday night, so they couldn't play earlier Thursday.

After the first two games of the series drew record ratings, it's likely that viewership will take a hit with the early start time. The game will tip at 9:30 a.m. local time in San Francisco.

While the league didn’t know until last Saturday that there would definitely be a Game 6 played in Atlanta, a contingency plan could have been put in place a long time ago by Engelbert and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The eight playoff teams were known in early September, before the WNBA paused its season for the women's FIBA World Cup. Without the World Cup, the playoffs would have been two weeks earlier, before the NBA regular season began.

Part of the issue is that unlike the Valkyries, who are controlled by Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, the Dream and Hawks are owned by different groups. Also, with NBC and USA Sports broadcasting the games this year, WNBA Finals games are on different nights than they have been in previous years.

In the past, games wouldn’t be played on Monday nights — like Game 5 will be — because of ESPN's NFL contract. They also wouldn’t be scheduled on Saturdays, the day that Games 3 and a potential Game 7 would be played, because of ESPN’s college football contracts.

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Streamers fall from the rafters following the Golden State Valkyries victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (Dan Hernandez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)