nouns vs TSM Dota 2 The International 2023 Lower Bracket Round 2 highlights

Dota 2 The International 2023, despite its low prize pool, featured some intense matches. During the TI12 group stage series, four teams were eliminated, and the remaining teams were seeded into the Upper and Lower Brackets. One of the most notable upsets of the event occurred when TSM eliminated North American powerhouse Shopify Rebellion from the tournament.

TSM then proceeded to face nouns, who had dropped to the Lower Bracket after being defeated by Azure Ray in the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals. The first match of the Lower Bracket Round 2 featured nouns squaring off against TSM.

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nouns wipes out TSM 2-0 in the Dota 2 The International 2023 Lower Bracket Round 2

First game between nouns and TSM

Both teams started the game with fighting-based drafts. The picks proved to be useful as the first Dota 2 TI12 Lower Bracket Round 2 game dragged on for 57 minutes.

nouns (Radiant):

• Naga Siren - K1
• Earth Spirit - Gunnar
• Brewmaster - Moo
• Skywrath Mage - Lelis
• Nature's Prophet - Yamsun

TSM (Dire):

• Luna - Timado
• Pangolier - Bryle
• Bristleback - Kasane
• Muerta - Ari
• Treant Protector - Whitemon

nouns has a great early-game and went on to get important kills with Brewmaster and Earth Spirit. Gunnar began roaming the map and helped out the other lanes. He assisted the top lane in getting kills on Luna and Treant Protector, which gave nouns a good lead.

However, the tide quickly turned when Bristleback became stacked and began pressuring nouns after TSM managed to secure an Aegis for him. The team had both Aghanim's Scepter and Bloodstone by the 19-minute mark. With this newfound momentum, they initiated a push for the top-tier 2 tower.

In the ensuing teamfight, nouns effectively halted TSM's push, led by Gunnar's Earth Spirit. After this, Naga Siren became very active and helped the team win a couple of team fights. However, nouns didn't push as Pangolier and Bristleback kept them in check.

After a few minutes, both teams assembled near Radiant's Roshan Pit. The teamfight concluded with no kills, and TSM promptly retreated to their base. Brewmaster and Nature's Prophet were split-pushing the midlane racks when nouns seized the opportunity and secured the Aegis for the Earth Spirit.

From this point onward, the game swung in favor of nouns, with all their heroes earning good farm and acquiring the necessary items. They went on to wipe TSM and secured mega creeps. Eventually, they went on to destroy Dire's Ancient and get a win the first Dota 2 TI12 Lower Bracket Round 2.

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Second game between nouns and TSM

The second Dota 2 game commenced with nouns securing a stronger draft, but they lost a few early fights and needed a strong comeback.

nouns (Dire):

• Phantom Lancer - K1
• Earth Spirit - Gunnar
• Dazzle - Moo
• Clockwerk - Lelis
• Ancient Apparition - Yamsun

TSM (Radiant):

• Muerta - Timado
• Primal Beast - Bryle
• Beastmaster - Kasane
• Phoenix - Lelis
• Shadow Demon - Whitemon

nouns managed to secure a victory in one team fight at the bottom lane with the assistance of Gunnar's Earth Spirit. However, this wasn't sufficient, as TSM continued to push with Aegis on Muerta. nouns then played safely and tried avoiding teamfights until their carry came online.

Interestingly, Phantom Lancer was having a different game as he became fat with items such as Diffusal, Manta Style, Heart of Tarrasque, Linken's Sphere, and Scepter, all within just 36 minutes. With this, nouns tried to fight TSM but lost Earth Spirit, Dazzle, and Clockwerk in the process. However, Phantom Lancer managed to survive.

After this teamfight, TSM instantly went into Dire's Roshan Pit and was confronted by Phantom Lancer and Ancient Apparition's Ice Blast. TSM's heroes overwhelmed the former, eliminated him, and claimed the Aegis on Muerta. They went on to destroy Dire's top racks and retreated to fight another day.

nouns, driven and determined to fight back, got some valuable pick-offs. They even seiged the botttom Radiant's tier 3 buildings and went back to their base as Gunnar died. The game had very few team fights as they were playing cautiously.

Eventually, Phantom Lancer with Giant's Ring killed Muerta with the help of Clockwerk and Ancient Apparition's Ice Blast. Muerta dropped Divine Rapier and had no buyback. Dazzle took the Rapier and ended the game, knocking out TSM from Dota 2 The International 2023.

The Dota 2 TI12 Lower Bracket Round 2's second game had a low killscore of 23-18 (Radiant - Dire) despite lasting a staggering 68 minutes. nouns has qualified to Dota 2 TI12 Lower Bracket Round 3.

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