Las Vegas was absolutely buzzing on Friday night, October 3, 2025, as the Aces and Phoenix Mercury tipped off Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. The stakes? Nothing less than a shot at basketball immortality, and with the championship series stretching to a best-of-seven format for the first time ever, every possession felt monumental. Fans packed the arena, the tension was thick, and the action on the court didn’t disappoint for a second.
For the Las Vegas Aces, it was a night where grit, depth, and a little bit of luck came together at just the right time. Dana Evans, whose voice was barely a whisper the day before the game, let her game do the talking in a big way. Coming off the bench, Evans poured in 21 points in just 26 minutes, sparking a dramatic second-half comeback that saw the Aces erase a nine-point deficit and ultimately edge out the Mercury 89-86. Talk about making a statement when it matters most!
Evans wasn’t alone in her heroics. A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ star center, matched her teammate’s scoring output with 21 points of her own, showing once again why she’s one of the most dominant forces in the league. Wilson was especially clutch down the stretch, netting 12 of her points in the final 14 minutes as Las Vegas clawed back each time Phoenix threatened to pull away. She also pulled down 10 rebounds, cementing her presence on both ends of the floor.
The Aces’ bench proved to be the difference-maker, outscoring the Mercury’s reserves by a whopping 41-16 margin. Jewell Loyd, another key reserve, chipped in with 18 points, giving Las Vegas the offensive punch it needed whenever the starters sat. Jackie Young, starting in the backcourt, added 10 points and calmly knocked down two crucial free throws with 13.5 seconds left to seal the win. Chelsea Gray orchestrated the offense beautifully, dishing out 10 assists and keeping the Mercury defense guessing all night.
On the other side, the Phoenix Mercury came out firing, determined to spoil the party in Las Vegas. Kahleah Copper was electric in the first half, dropping 19 points—just one shy of her playoff career high for a half, a mark she set back in the 2021 Finals. Copper’s five three-pointers in the opening half were also a personal best for a game, and her hot hand helped Phoenix build momentum early. She finished with 21 points, leading the Mercury attack.
Satou Sabally gave the Aces fits all night, finishing with 19 points. Her length and shooting kept Phoenix within striking distance, and she very nearly played the hero. With just two seconds left on the clock, Sabally launched a long three-pointer that could have forced overtime, but the shot missed its mark, and the Aces faithful erupted in relief.
Alyssa Thomas was everywhere for Phoenix, stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists—just one dime shy of a triple-double. Thomas’s all-around play was crucial in keeping the Mercury in the contest, especially as the lead see-sawed back and forth. The game featured a staggering 12 lead changes and nine ties, underscoring just how evenly matched these two teams are. The largest lead of the night? Just nine points, and even that didn’t last long as both squads answered each other’s runs with poise and determination.
“We just kept fighting,” said A’ja Wilson after the game, her jersey soaked with sweat but her smile beaming. “Every time they made a run, we answered. That’s what this team is about.”
The closing moments were a rollercoaster. With the Mercury trailing by just a single point and 24.6 seconds on the clock, Alyssa Thomas stepped to the free-throw line with a chance to put Phoenix ahead. The pressure was immense, and unfortunately for the Mercury, both shots rimmed out. On the ensuing possession, Jackie Young was fouled and calmly drained both free throws, pushing the Aces’ lead to three. Phoenix had one last gasp, but Sabally’s long-range attempt bounced off the iron, and the crowd in Las Vegas let out a collective cheer.
“We had our chances,” Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard admitted postgame. “We’ll regroup and be ready for Game 2. This series is far from over.”
The intensity and drama of the opener set the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested Finals. With the series shifting to a best-of-seven format, there’s little margin for error, and both teams know it. The Aces’ ability to dig deep, especially with such strong contributions from their bench, could prove to be the deciding factor as the series wears on. But if Game 1 is any indication, the Mercury aren’t going to back down an inch.
Jewell Loyd, who was a spark plug off the bench, emphasized the team’s resilience: “We believe in each other. No matter what happens, we trust that someone’s going to step up. Tonight it was Dana, tomorrow it could be anyone.”
For Evans, who battled through a scratchy throat and barely had a voice before tipoff, the performance was especially sweet. “I just wanted to help my team,” Evans said, her voice still raspy but her words clear enough. “When you get this far, you leave everything out there.”
Looking ahead, the Aces will try to build on their 1-0 series lead when they host Game 2 on Sunday, October 5, again in Las Vegas. The Mercury, meanwhile, will look to regroup and steal a win on the road to even things up. With the way these two teams have battled all season—and with so much talent on both sides—fans can expect more fireworks as the Finals continue.
One thing’s for sure: If the rest of the series is anything like Game 1, basketball fans are in for a treat. The Aces may have drawn first blood, but the Mercury have shown they’re more than capable of striking back. As the teams prepare for the next showdown, the city of Las Vegas remains at the center of the basketball world, its spotlight shining brightly on a Finals matchup for the ages.
With Game 2 just around the corner and the series still wide open, all eyes remain fixed on Las Vegas. The drama is only just beginning.
