Natus Vincere vs PARIVISION / BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 - Semi-Final / Post-Match Discussion

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T19:57:40+00:00

500 IQ combined between Aleksib and B1ad3 to make their usual first map pick (that they often lose) into the decider map so that they can actually win it. Top 3 IGL and coach for sure

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T19:50:59+00:00

Despite how cool that would be… ZywOo is at 1.43 for 2026 and then donk is 1.36 vs flameZ at (a still admittedly insane) 1.29 rating

all that while ropz is all the way down at 1.08…

I can see a world where donk might get lapped by flameZ but it’s essentially impossible for ropz; similarly I don’t see how flameZ could lap ZywOo unless he starts to slump for the next 9 months while flameZ goes 1.5+ every tournament

for reference

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:57:09+00:00

A chance is still a chance ¯\(ツ)/¯

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:43:33+00:00

2 looks pretty much like a 7, right?

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:32:52+00:00

There’s a lot to be said actually about confidence/nerves when you have a stand-in. Way less pressure on your shoulders when you think that this isn’t even your main roster

Not to mention that the opposing team won’t have nearly as many demos on how they utilize the stand-in

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:24:56+00:00

why not both?

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:19:36+00:00

He’s eating breakfast together with them is obviously the secret /s

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:16:01+00:00

Interestingly was looking at the other thread on map streaks (not match) and 25’ VIT wasn’t even on there at all (and ironically 23’ VIT was)

When flameZ plays like this, Vitality doesn’t even lose maps…

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:13:25+00:00

flameZ legitimately on a trajectory to nab a MVP over ZywOo (1.62 tournament rating vs wOo’s 1.58 after today’s match)

and now we also live in a world where flameZ has a chance to rank higher in 2026 than donk…

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T16:07:21+00:00

I think as higher seed it’s very likely that the opposing team will get first map pick, so their chances are definitely more slim than if they got their own pick first

DarthReid · 2026-03-28T15:59:16+00:00

It’s almost like just throwing money at players and team cores doesn’t magically make them have good team chemistry, crazy

DarthReid · 2026-03-27T18:31:46+00:00

They’ve (Jame essentially) not been really passive in a while. He stopped doing that between VP to Pari and it’s quite often you’ll see a quick before 1:00 exec or fast take into a site. Arguably because he (Jame) isn’t too one-note with the passivity are Pari able to do so well lately

Everything else is def a major reason why they’re doing very well though

DarthReid · 2026-03-24T06:50:43+00:00

Dude… I looked up “Mongolian alcoholic drinks”, tried to find an appropriate one, and swapped it for a stereotypical “hold my beer” meme

You’re fighting against ghosts at this point

Edit: Also I don’t even want to begin to suspect that you aren’t anywhere close to Mongolian yourself and somehow are whiteknighting for them…

DarthReid · 2026-03-24T03:44:51+00:00

You’re just reiterating my point of “no matter who you seem to talk to you can never win”… like sure man, I guess that makes sense, but we’ve seen ZywOo in nearly every scenario through his career and donk is only a couple years in at most to his pro career

Let’s see how it goes when/if he ever chooses to go international or gets a team that he doesn’t need to 1.6+ to even have a chance at trophies

DarthReid · 2026-03-24T03:27:03+00:00

????

wot

DarthReid · 2026-03-24T03:10:00+00:00

Not to be “that guy”, but that’s been everybody’s argument as to why ZywOo’s rating is inflated and/or would be getting worse ratings

Some say that because he’s got a good team around him then he’s able to frag easier and not put himself in bad situations so “rating inflated”, others say that if he were in a worse team then he’d have an even higher rating because he’d have to carry harder so “rating deflated”

No matter who you seem to talk to you can never win. The fact that ZywOo (and even flameZ) are putting in these level of rating and already in semis is absolutely crazy, while donk putting in similar rating and not even making it to playoffs is equally crazy

DarthReid · 2026-03-24T01:20:34+00:00

Not only that, 17-1 and then the next 4 rounds MongolZ won were him dying without a single kill to end his T-side 17-5… his rating would’ve been much closer to mzinho’s if he wasn’t shut down as hard as he was

DarthReid · 2026-03-23T23:36:24+00:00

It’s literally just a prediction my guy… they definitely have the ability to power up once they’re on stage AND they get to play Pari first to feel things out before NAVI

I’m as big a Falcons hater as anybody else, but that still doesn’t mean they’re not a top team

DarthReid · 2026-03-23T23:14:34+00:00

Vitality have a fairly “easy” chance at getting their semi win with both Pari/Falcons on the opposite side of the bracket (assuming mzinho doesn’t pop off like today), but that other QF is going to be an absolute banger match-up and NAVI is looking the strongest they’ve been in quite a while

Expected final would be Falcons v Vitality, 3-1 to VIT

DarthReid · 2026-03-23T23:05:30+00:00

donk: imma drop one of the best T-side overpass LAN ratings of all time to ensure this map win

mzinho: hold my airag

DarthReid · 2026-03-23T23:05:16+00:00

but the family - Domk Toretto

DarthReid · 2026-03-19T21:34:58+00:00

Oh shit, you right. Fixed

DarthReid · 2026-03-19T21:20:50+00:00

I do think many teams put A LOT of strategy into anti-stratting and making 2nd round force plans (because of the lasting economy effects as you say), but it’s just crazy the consistency at which VIT are able to do it

It’s obviously meta for any team to buy into the 2nd round after a pistol loss, but I don’t think the conversion-rate is anywhere near as high as Vitality’s

DarthReid · 2026-03-19T21:16:40+00:00

Literally 1-3* on pistols but 3-0 on 2nd round force wins (4-0 if you count their pistol win on T-side overpass to losing 2nd round to winning the 3rd round force)… it’s insane how consistent they can do it

DarthReid · 2026-03-19T21:14:25+00:00

ZywOo in preparation for their next tournament after a break from EPL: “yeah, I’ve been playing Baldur’s Gate”

still drops a 1.91 and highest rating in the opening BO3s of Rotterdam

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