Team Liquid unceremoniously dumped out by 3DMAX - ESL Pro League S23

This just isn't acceptable, Team Liquid.

3DMAX in their current state in a 2-2 game is about as easy a lay-up as you'll get, and so losing that game - even with the caveat of it being online - is simply not good enough for a team of Liquid's stature, resources and investment.

It's a complete surrender against the French (roles reversed, etc) that has ended their pretty shambolic run at ESL Pro League, and honestly, that's quite fitting. siuhy finished off just 13 kills in the series in 41 rounds, which is less than a kill every three rounds for those not great at Maths. It's pointless to blame any individual for this run, because it's on all of them, but for a guy who was once a very solid fragger while leading it's testament to his rapid decline after joining Liquid.

There are many such cases. One only has to look at Rainwaker's performance at this event to see how Liquid do some Space-Jam-esque talent-sucking to whoever dons the blue and white.

For 3DMAX, it's pretty nice for them that misutaaa just blasted a team in what was a big game for them, but - and it's incredible we have to say this - we're not sure games against Liquid actually prove anything for a team like 3DMAX.

Said without any irony, that.

Similarly disappointing, though far away from the level of disappointment, was PARIVISION, who dropped out of contention by losing 0-2 to HEROIC.

One is inclined to give them a bit more leeway given they've a. had a fantastic year until now and b. are still relative rookies to this level of play, but it is a bit of a mark against them in their case for top five status. nota is wildly inconsistent as the team's star rifler, and today we saw a pretty violent downswing from him where it just felt like he could not find himself a favourable duel all day.

On the HEROIC side, xfl0ud has been absolutely frying this whole event and it's only right that he was the driving force behind their biggest win yet. He was extraordinary on Dust 2, ripping the PARIVISION offence to shreds time and time again, before susp finished them off with a flawless T side. PARIVISION only got 11 rounds over two maps.

This was a dominant win, and a much-deserved one.

There will be no stage two for NIP, though in some ways this was one of their best performances in that they competed against a very good team and could easily have won it.

If they'd had the same level of production from xKacpersky in this game as they had in others, it would have been quite an easy win. Mind you, NIP don't do easy wins, so they almost certainly would have made it artificially difficult.

G2 collected a mandatory 2-0 here, and the manner of victory was nowhere near as important as the result, but it still wasn't super impressive. They're going to have to improve quite quickly to not bomb out in the next stage, but at least they made it.

On the plus side for them, they've won without HeavyGod or malbsMd massively popping off, as MATYS took up the mantle and annihilated NIP on Dust 2 particularly, though he was excellent on Anubis as well.

NIP go out in less embarrassing fashion than they seemed like they might. We guess that's a win.