Last week, the LCS Summer Split 2023 playoffs intensified with the Lower Bracket fighting for their chance to make the Summer Split finals but also chart their course to the League of Legends World Championship in South Korea. In the Lower Bracket, Team Dignitas looked to upset the number 2 seed Golden Guardians after Golden Guardians lost shockingly 3 to 1 to NRG. After a shocking Game 5 win, against TSM the week prior, Team Dignitas looked to keep their playoff run alive against Golden Guardians.
On the other side of the lower bracket, Team Liquid looked to keep their playoff dreams alive fighting against the cleanly swept Evil Geniuses; in the prior week, EG lost to Cloud 9 within three games. Meanwhile, Team Liquid had a strong series of matches against 100 Thieves to advance to the Lower Bracket 2nd round. If TL or EG won, they would go on to face the Winner of Golden Guardians Vs Dignitas. No matter what, each of the winning teams in the Lower Brack would have to play two games throughout the weekend in order to make it to the LCS Summer Finals.
NRG vs Cloud 9 Results
In Game 1, C9 decided to ban Azir, Ivern, and Braum, while picking up the popular Kai’sa, Rell, Tristana, and Jax picks. Meanwhile, NRG decided to ban the popular Leblanc, Sejuani, and Rumble picks while drafting Renekton, Maokai, and Jayce. Early on Blabber and Fudge are able to punish Dhokla and give Fudge (Jax) an early lead. In order to counteract the early C9 lead, NRG sent Ingar and FBI up to help gank Dhokla in order to kill Fudge. While C9 was securing Mountain Dragon, NRG was able to take down the first top turret by using Rift Herald. NRG is able to secure the second Rift Herald.
NRG then looks to start a team fight before going for the Ocean Dragon but does not go the way that Ignar expected. A weird play by C9 Emenes has him try to take down the middle turret, but fails to do so; this failure leads to NRG being able to rally, kill Emenes, Zven, and Blabber, and secure the Ocean Dragon. NRG Dhokla gets a triple kill surpassing Fudge.
In another team fight at Dragon, C9 tries to kill FBI but fails to do so. This results in the game being tied at 8 to 8. As C9 goes for Baron, NRG responds starting another team fight; C9 is able to secure the Baron but NRG is able to take out Emenes, Zven, and Blabber. Berserker attempts to assassinate FBI but fails to do so. This gives NRG the ability to take down the mid-T1 turret and the top T2 turret.
In another Dragon fight, C9 is able to trade 4 for 1 against NRG leaving only the support alive. At the next baron fight, NRG looks to collapse on C9 but C9 is prepared for it. C9 is able to easily pick off Palafox and then Ace NRG. C9 is then able to match down mid-lane.
Game 2
In Game 2, NRG chose to ban out the Maokai, Jayce, Rumble, and Jax while drafting Leblanc, Rell, and Ezreal. On the other side, Cloud 9 chose to ban Poppy and Tristana so that NRG could not draft them early. C9 would choose to pick Renekton, Kai’sa, Sejuani, and Rakan. In an early gank gone wrong, Blabber tries to ult Leblanc but misses resulting in Emenes death.
As C9 decided to push mid using Rift Herald, a 5 v 5 fight broke out and C9 was able to easily take down Ignar and Dhokla. Throughout the game, Cloud 9 is easily able to pick up kills on NRG before important objectives. At a 32-minute Baron fight, C9 is able to quickly burst down Baron and then turn their attention to NRG. After a bunch of posturing, C9 moves over to Dragon. With Baron, C9 is able to siege the mid and top inhibitors. Then going for the bottom one, NRG attempts to stop C9 from taking the last turret.
Game 3
In game 3, NRG bans Leblanc, Maokai, and Sejuani while picking Renekton, Rakan, Azir, and Ivern. On the other side, C9 bans out mostly ADCs with Tristana, Kai’sa, Ezreal, and Phillips; meanwhile, they chose to run back most of the Game 1 team comp with Nautilus, Rell, and JAX. NRG gets an early 6 to 4 lead with the first dragon being taken at 12 minutes. In a fight down at bot tri, NRG is able to pick off Berserker, Fudge, Zven, and Blabber; meanwhile, Emenes attempts to teleport in with a package to try and even it up but gets stopped only taking down Palafox.
Throughout game 3, most of the fights and control looked to be in favor of NRG. At 23 minutes, NRG has a 12 to 5 lead over C9. After taking the middle T2 turret, NRG looked bot back off but C9 Fudge and Emenes Teleport in to cut NRG off. This play allows C9 to take down NRG FBI and Dhokla and secure the Cloud Dragon. A fight in the blue side top-side jungle leaves both teams weak; while trying to defend mid-lane from Berserker, Contractz accidentally follows his root and gets killed in the process. This gives C9 the ability to take Baron.
At 35 minutes, NRG finds a favorable mid-lane fight where they are able to kill C9 Blabber and Zven. NRG Pakafox and Ignar attempt to stop Fudge and Berserker from backing but Berserker is able to kill Ignar, while Fudge dies to Palafox. Emenes is able to bring his big package over and kill Palafox. C9 Emenes and Berserker look to fight NRG Contractz, FBI, and Dhokla but are caught and killed. Dhokla is carrying his team. NRG looks to get a nexus turret, but C9 Blaber and Zven use their ultimates to try and prevent it and FBI is caught and killed by the turret.
While looking for Baron control, C9 is able to bait NRG towards the Baron. Emenes teleports in with his giant package and is able to surprise them from behind. C9 is able to pick off multiple members of NRG. After 42 minutes, C9 is able to win game 3.
NRG Dhokla Interview
With how the series went, what are your takeaways from the series and what do you think could have been done differently?
NRG Dhokla – Takeaways, I think we need to adjust a few things in the draft. Just be more decisive. I felt that most of the games were decided by a couple of team fights so if we navigated those a bit differently, I think the outcome would have been different. The good thing is we were in the upper bracket, so we can learn from this and move on.
In between each match during intermission, what was the mindset or what was discussed between each match?
NRG Dhokla – It was mainly just the draft. Everyone was pretty chill. No one really titled. I think the vibes were good. Overall, we were just judging the drafts and things we could adjust in the game. Pretty much just preparing for the next game and what we want to do. How do we want to adjust for the next game?
Was there anything in the draft that you think should have been banned or picked up?
NRG Dhokla – No necessarily, to me all the games felt winnable if we just executed a bit better. Once they got a lead, they kind of ran away with it. I need to play a little bit better but even then. There was a moment in game 2 where we could have gone to Baron if Kha’zix didn’t die to Kai’sa. From there, we could have been in a position to win. Just small changes.
What is one team on the World Stage that you want to play against?
NRG Dhokla – T1, Gen G, EDG, kind of just all the teams really. There is not one that stands out immediately. I think they are all great teams and I want to see how I do against them.
If you want to learn more about NRG’s Top Laner Dhokla, you can watch the full interview down below. In the rest of the interview, we discuss how NRG Dhokla got into League of Legends, time with the game, his favorite things, inspirations, and much more.
