This article is part of our Dota 2 series.
After a very clean 2-0 win in the best-of-three grand finals at PGL Bucharest, Mineski have claimed 150 pro circuit points as well as $130,000 in prize money. This was a very impressive tournament overall from Mineski, who have only improved since their grand final appearance at Starladder last week vs Liquid.
Mineski made its way to the grand final with an undefeated record. In the all best-of-three format, Mineski only lost a total of two games over the course of the entire tournament. Once in the group stages against Na'Vi, and again in the playoffs vs Immortals. They showed impressive composure after both of these losses, rallying back to win both series 2-1.
In many ways, Mineski's run up to the grand final was much more exciting for spectators than the grand finals itself. The actual grand final vs LGD was extremely one-sided, with both games clocked in at under 35 minutes and were heavily Mineski-favored almost the entire time.
The first game of the series was won largely thanks to Daryl Koh "iceiceice" Pei Xiang's Monkey King and Chai "Mushi" Yee Fung's Phantom Assassin. The two Southeast Asian superstars ran over LGD. In the crux of the game, a fight around Roshan's pit, Mushi managed to two-shot Wang "Ame" Chunyu's Ursa with a double damage rune. From there the game was blown wide open in Mineski's favor. LGD had no answer to the huge double-Black King Bar power spike that Mineski hit around 30 minutes, and four minutes later, the game was over.
Game 2 of the grand final was one of the most brutal outdrafts of the tournament next to Evil Geniuses' Drow Ranger lineup against VGJ.Thunder. Evil Geniuses managed to win their game in 22 minutes, and if this had not been a grand final, it's likely that Mineski would have ended this one just as fast. Still reeling from iceiceice's Game 1 Monkey King performance, LGD felt pressured to ban the hero. This left them wide open to a devastating Broodmother fourth pick, once again piloted by iceiceice. After about five minutes of lane switching, iceiceice was finally able to find space to farm. He once again hit a major power spike right alongside Mushi, who was playing Vengeful Spirit in this game. Backed up by some excellent Silencer play from Michael "Ninjaboogie" Ross Jr., iceiceice and Mushi once again took over the game.
To LGD's credit, the team had to play this event without Chen "Victoria" Guanhong who usually plays position four. It's understandable that Yao "Yao" Zhengzheng, LGD's captain and position five support, would have trouble stepping into that role. The fact that LGD made it to the finals with their coach, Yao "QQQ" Yi, standing in bodes well for the team moving forward. LGD's second place finish earned the team $65,000 in prize money. Unfortunately, because QQQ was playing as a stand-in, LGD will only receive 75 percent of the 90 pro circuit points.
Mineski's win here, meanwhile, places them in the lead of the Dota 2 pro circuit for the time being, with 720 points. Trailing behind is Liquid with 450 points, followed by LGD with 202.5. Behind the top three, four teams are currently tied for fourth place with 90 points each: Team Secret, Evil Geniuses, Immortals, and compLexity. With ESL One Hamburg, the first of the 1500 point Majors of the season, starting on Thursday, these standings will likely change here soon, though.
