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IEM Dallas: Key Takeaways
The stars aligned for a dream event in Dallas with G2 Esports lifting the 100th IEM tournament.
Although Jacky "Stewie2K" Yip barely stood out against the competition, his “cultural impact” made it a memory for the ages. In fact, this event was a potential window in reviving his long-forgotten career.
With the event concluded, Strafe Esports takes a look back at the event’s main takeaways and storylines.
Stewie2K is Back?!!
Seeing one of North America’s once-exceptional talents on-stage again was a treat. Although "Stewie2K" had more impact outside the server than in, his overall contributions kept G2 level-headed enough to close out against Vitality and lift the trophy.
The American might have shown some rustiness. But, with his name chanted across the community, his return to competition might just be around the corner.
Statistically, “Stewie2K” was second to last in the fragging department. An overall 0.68 K/D with a -83 K/D difference concluded his run in Dallas, yet, the numbers can be overlooked considering his situation. Moreover, the Major winner blessing the stage again can certainly help in reviving a scene that’s struggling to draw breath.
m0NESY is on track to become the BEST
Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov solidified himself as a contender for the best player title with a class act performance throughout the event. With a second career MVP, the Yellow Flash is officially on pace for an Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyljev 2018-type year, according to Mohan "launders" Govindasamy.
The AWPer finished IEM Dallas with a whopping 1.42 K/D, 87.8 ADR and 91 kill - death difference. Add to it 12 total clutches, the highest at the event.
“m0NESY” came first in these stat categories:
- Kill/Death Difference
- Total Kills (307)
- Kills per Round (0.86)
- Total Clutches
- Total AWP Kills (115)
- Total Opening Kills (57)
9z: A Formidable Underdog
9z were the most impressive team with an unexpected run to the Semi-Finals. From defeating MOUZ in their opening BO1, to later winning their BO3s against Team Liquid and Vitality respectively.
What many thought was luck, turned out to be the result of incredible synergy and teamwork, which made 9z head and shoulders above some of the best teams in the world. Moreover, Antonio 'MartinezSa' Martinez showed his prowess early in the event, beating out AWP rivals such as Casper "cadiaN" Møller and Ádám "torzsi" Torzsás in their head-to-heads.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t take down a giant the size of Vitality. Yet, their run at the event was nothing short of impressive.
Liquid Evaporated
CadiaN was hanging by a thread as his days were numbered with Liquid. Despite having bright stars under his leadership, he failed at reaching the organization’s expectations during his short tenure. According to a report by HLTV on May 16th, Liquid were expected to make changes.
However, they wouldn’t pull the trigger until the conclusion of IEM Dallas, reportedly. The report came less than a week after Astralis swiftly eliminated cadiaN and the rest of the team in the ESL Pro League Season 19 quarterfinals.
Ever since Casper joined Liquid, the roster failed to qualify for the PGL Copenhagen Major and struggled to advance beyond the initial rounds of elimination in most other tournaments. As a result, it seems inevitable that this report will soon come to fruition.
Falcons: Dead in the Air
Once again, the Falcons roster find themselves unable to soar. Another event concludes with disappointment for Danny "zonic" Sørensen. Despite boasting a stacked lineup, all they seem to be stacking in the server are 9th to 12th place finishes.
After all, what began as a promising project has now devolved into nothing but fake hype, overshadowed by constant heartbreaks. However, at least money isn't a concern, given the Saudi organization's willingness to shell out a hefty million dollars for Alexander “s1mple” Kostylev for just a month.
With each passing event, doubts about their future grow stronger, particularly for Marco "Snappi" Pfeiffer, who has failed to make anything substantial out of the opportunities presented to him.
In summary, IEM Dallas put on a truly spectacular show, likely to be remembered as one of the best in recent history. With the event now behind us, teams now have an opportunity to reset during the player break following the BLAST Premier Spring Final in London.
Featured Image source: ESL
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