Liquid can’t handle the paiN
paiN has proven once again that they are the kryptonite to North America’s best team after defeating Liquid in a BO3 series for the second time in less than a month. The top-five HLTV-ranked Liquid was taken to their limit in the first two maps in back-to-back 30-round affairs. Once it came to the Mirage decider, there was nothing left Liquid could muster on their offensive end, eventually being stonewalled by paiN.
Both teams showed off their defensive prowess on paiN’s Nuke pick, with the two teams both winning eleven-plus CT-rounds. A favorable 11-4 lead for Liquid went away quickly after losing nine straight after the half-switch. Shockingly, Liquid couldn’t prevent a paiN comeback, eventually losing 14-16.
The story switched on Anubis as both teams showed much more comfort on offense than defense on the map. Just like Nuke, things were almost identical in round output, but Liquid was able to edge out the sole round needed to split the difference between the two teams to win the 16-14 win thanks to their ten rounds on T-side.
Experience meant nothing on map three, as the underdog paiN squad lit Liquid up in the second half of the map. An 8-7 first-half win offered some sense of security for them, but proved to be a false prophecy. paiN allowed nothing in the second half, taking the first five rounds to set them up nicely for a 16-12 victory. paiN will continue their tour to Washington in the finals against the winner of EG Black and Imperial.
paiNLiquid| paiN |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rodrigo 'biguzera' Bittencourt |
68 - 52 | +16 | 81.6 | 73.9% | 1.18 |
| Felipe 'skullz' Medeiros |
64 - 61 | +3 | 80.9 | 70.5% | 1.09 |
| Gabriel 'NEKIZ' Schenato |
60 - 60 | +0 | 71.9 | 69.3% | 1.04 |
| Wesley 'hardzao' Lopes |
49 - 60 | -11 | 64.1 | 67.0% | 0.91 |
| Romeu 'zevy' Rocco |
47 - 55 | -8 | 57.3 | 65.9% | 0.87 |
| Liquid |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jonathan 'EliGE' Jablonowski |
67 - 58 | +9 | 88.1 | 71.6% | 1.25 |
 Mareks 'YEKINDAR' Gaļinskis |
56 - 58 | -2 | 71.5 | 67.0% | 1.00 |
| Josh 'oSee' Ohm |
57 - 55 | +2 | 63.6 | 69.3% | 0.99 |
| Nick 'nitr0' Cannella |
54 - 59 | -5 | 66.9 | 71.6% | 0.97 |
 Keith 'NAF' Markovic |
52 - 59 | -7 | 72.7 | 65.9% | 0.93 |
