In the opening match of the playoffs, JDG became the first team to be eliminated, managing at most two game wins against DRG!

After waiting four days, the 2025 KPL Summer Playoffs are finally underway! The first match is between two teams from the losers' bracket: JDG, the number one in Group A, versus DRG, who finished fourth in the same group!

JDG’s rebuilding efforts this season, centered on Fearless, have been much more successful than last year. From head coach Xing Tian to the four new recruits, every move has been valuable. They’ve steadily progressed from being on the verge of Group B in the first round, to mid-tier in Group A in the second, and now leading Group A, improving with each stage.

However, for JDG, the true challenge starts in the playoffs. Judging by their earlier match against UUG, their current jungle-centric strategies are quite limited, and Fearless’s initiator supports like Su Lie and Lu Da didn’t have high win rates during the regular season. These issues could become key weaknesses in tonight’s draft.

After DRG broke their own record by fighting all the way from the losers’ bracket to the finals in the Spring Split, they seemed to fall into a slump this season. They started with a 5-0 run in the first round thanks to favorable groupings, but then hit a downward spiral. In the second round, they only managed one win and four losses in Group S, losing all their KPL internal matches. Their undefeated streak was broken in the S/A seeding match; they dropped to Group A in the third round and failed to dominate, suffering 1-3 defeats in both their first and last matches, barely making the playoffs as A4.

This season, main shot-caller Meng Lan leads the league in average and total deaths among bot laners, and Sibao, the external brain, has regressed to his rookie form, unable to protect teammates or initiate fights effectively. The top-jungle duo, who shone last playoffs, have also been inconsistent this season. Tonight’s BO7 elimination match will test whether DRG can recapture their underdog momentum from last season’s losers’ bracket run.

Although DRG’s regular season performance was mediocre, their playoff experience is undeniable. Plus, with players who have all competed in finals before, most people still favor DRG to win this match!

Xishi’s new skin is now available, and her pick rate in ranked games has noticeably increased. After all, not every player will wait for limited-time coupons to buy new skins. So, if your opponent picks Xishi, which hero should you choose? If you’re playing support, Zhuge Zhou is highly recommended!

Zhuang Zhou's ultimate can cleanse crowd control not only for himself but also for his teammates. In team fights, no matter which ally Xishi tries to pull, Zhuang Zhou’s ultimate allows teammates to ignore her pull ability, making him an even harder counter to Xishi than Dian Wei or Liu Bei. While Dian Wei and Liu Bei can only resist Xishi for themselves, Zhuang Zhou’s ultimate lets the whole team ignore her, and with some damage, you can easily take down Xishi when paired with his ultimate.