Team DK put Cloud 9 into the Lower Bracket of the Playoffs, securing themselves a top six finish. Cloud 9 played a solid first game, but then just came competely undone in the final game of the series.
In this best of three series both teams naturally aimed to conquer important match to take a position in the Winner's Bracket, facing up against second seed in the group stages, which is Evil Geniuses. Cloud 9 fought their way through LGD to get the opportunity to play Team DK and were looking good going into the match up. In the first game Cloud 9 drafted a tried and tested line up with Mirana, Doom, Invoker and Puck providing great lockdown, team fight and initiation. In an unprecedented move they last picked a Meepo for SingSing in the mid lane. Cloud 9 have not picked this hero once in this tournament but picked it a few times at the DreamLeague playoffs. Taking after Fnatic, they looked to take inspiration from N0tail and Excalibur in using Meepo to farm and burst their way to victory.
However, Cloud 9 made the fatal mistake of letting DK's Nage Siren finish her Radiance before 20 minutes. Meepo, Doom and Invoker managed to team up in the early game to take some convincing kills on key heroes, which looked good for Cloud 9 going into the ultimate rat phase. The game then continued into what we have come to expect from a Naga pick. Split push, avoiding fights and using illusions to chip down towers and eventually barracks. Cloud 9 put up a really strong fight and the game continued for a decent amount of time, but it just kept going down hill for them.
The last 10 minutes were chaotic and filled with illusions and Meepo copies struggling to take down the key targets in the fight. Cloud 9 were left holding on to their barracks only barely. Even they managed to win a fight they were hard pressed to make something out of it and get on the offensive. As they pushed out the lanes, BurNing microed his Naga illusions to take out the final barracks and ensure mega creeps for DK. BurNing finished the game with over 1000 last hits and an 825 GPM, showing his true carry prowess. Cloud 9 finally got wiped and called the GG with their base in tatters.
Game two looked to be well contested again in the draft. Cloud 9 again surprised in the draft with an Axe pick straight out of the gates, to counter the first picked Lycan of DK. DK put together a very solid draft based around the mentioned Lycan as well as Dazzle and a core-Undying. The game looked relatively even until DK managed to just power through and completely roll over Cloud 9. They took fight after fight and crushed every single lane. They were knocking on the door of the Cloud 9 highground by 10 minutes. It was only a minute later that Cloud 9 called the GG to the might of DK's snowball.
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Headline image by Kelly Kline and ESL One.
