When DAN Gaming faced off against LGD Gaming on Thursday in Shanghai, it opted to give its substitutes an opportunity to show their stuff. By the time Game 3 came around, however, LGD made it clear it was not going to be embarrassed by a roster of subs, taking a 2-1 series win to close out Week 5, Day 1 of the League of Legends Pro League.
Although many of the faces on the side of DAN Gaming were new when the teams loaded onto the Rift for Game 1, the team maintained its trademark relentless aggression. The player of the game for DAN was top laner Xion "Moyu" Hui-Dong's Jax, who started off hot by getting first blood in a 1-vs-1 solo kill. His lone death in the game came in a 4-vs-1 engagement in which he was still able to take down an opponent despite the odds stacked against him. The power of his splitpushing allowed DAN to take Baron as he broke LGD's bottom lane inhibitor and killed LGD mid laner Yu "Cool" Jia-Jun's Corki during a two versus one. DAN used this Baron to win the ensuing fight around the Baron pit and break another opponent's Nexus in just over 30 minutes.
LGD made its intentions for Game 2 clear in the draft, picking a lethal combination of early game power and pick potential. All went according to plan as LGD built a steady gold lead by taking a kill lead, turret lead, and drake lead into mid game. DAN refused to roll over, however, as it was (as expected) ferocious around the Baron Pit, forcing awkward fights and indecision out of LGD. What DAN excelled at wasn't necessarily securing Barons of its own, but damaging LGD enough in fights that it couldn't end the game, prolonging the match. In the end, though, LGD's experience prevailed as it secured a late Elder Dragon kill, using the buff to win a teamfight at Baron. With the game plan back on track, LGD aced the opposition, finally breaking the Nexus to force Game 3.
Once again, LGD prioritized shutting down Moyu in the top lane and, once again, was successful. Perhaps it was hubris or simple inexperience but DAN allowed Zac to be selected by LGD and Eimy quickly punished the decision by using the champ to secure first blood on DAN jungler Yu "Fishball" Wang's Gragas. In a crucial Game 3, LGD's on-stage experience shined through as the team was confident and decisive in the most important moments. LGD won every lane and, as the game progressed, won every teamfight. Additionally, it didn't even attempt to take a Baron, instead opting to use its momentum it had built through skirmishes to continue winning teamfights as it decimated DAN's base in under 28 minutes, securing the upset 2-1 series win.