Unyielding Aces rally late to edge Mercury in WNBA finals opener

• Wilson, Evans each score 21 in comeback win

• Copper's five threes power Mercury first-half surge

• Engelbert concedes player mistrust before Game 1

The Las Vegas Aces did what championship teams do: they bent without breaking. After trailing for much of Friday night's Game 1, they stormed back behind a blistering fourth-quarter surge to edge the Phoenix Mercury 89-86 and take the opener of the WNBA finals in Las Vegas.

Phoenix seemed in control for long stretches, building a nine-point cushion in the third quarter and holding a 76-70 lead with just over eight minutes left. But when Satou Sabally, who had been a steady force for the Mercury, picked up her fifth foul and angrily spiked the ball - earning a technical - the momentum shifted sharply.