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- LCK 2025: Week 14 Day Four HLE Falter While DNF Dominate BRO

LCK 2025: DK and NS Fight to Prove Their Value

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By Devin Morris | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 6:24 PM ET

Dplus and Nongshim have one more series to prove themselves in the LCK for 2025. Both teams have underperformed during the Play-In stage, losing to teams that, if they want to qualify for the World Championship, they should have won against. They are battling it out for the final spot to advance to the LCK Playoff Stage. The winner might face T1 in the first round.

LCK 2025: Nongshim Versus Dplus Start Times

Another weekend series means the start time is the same, BRO versus DK. The series starts at 11:00 PM PT (8:00 AM CET, September 5th). Will two Rise Group teams advance to the Playoff Stage?

Nongshim Versus Dplus Recent Match History and Head-to-Head

NS and DK have played against each other three times this season. They went even in the Bo3 series, both winning 2-1. When it came to the only Bo5 series, DK emerged victorious, but that was during the LCK Cup when DK were at their peak.

Both teams have played against the same opponents during the LCK Play-Ins. DK has the advantage in that regard, beating BRO 3-1 and losing 3-2 against BFX. NS, on the other hand, won against BRO in five games, while they lost in four when they played BFX.

A Battle Between Two Seasoned Supports

The battle between Lehends and BeryL features two of the most experienced supports in the LCK. Both have been successful on the international stage. Lehends at MSI 2024 last year, BeryL won the World Championship in 2020 and 2022. The two players have not been at their best during the Play-In stage, but at their peaks, they can drag their teams towards success. The performance of the two supports will be a vital determining factor in who emerges victorious in this series.

Who Will Punish the Opponents’ Drafts?

Image of LTA North League of Legends, courtesy of Riot Games.

During the LCK Play-Ins, NS and DK have struggled in securing draft leads. The draft has not been the only reason why the two teams have lost. However, it has contributed to their difficulties in winning games. Fortunately, NS has had two days to prepare its drafts for the series. One aspect that DK needs to avoid in the series is drafting tanks for Siwoo. Those games are the ones where DK tends to struggle the most.

Nongshim Versus Dplus Prediction

NS 2-3 DK

At the start of the Play-In stage, NS were the comfortable favorites for this series. However, as the stage has progressed, the belief in NS has dropped. Their loss streak during the Legend Group has seemed to affect them. At any sign of difficulty, NS has crumbled. That was the clear case against BFX. The aggression from BFX pressured NS to the point where they were unable to compete with the Rise Group’s second seed.

A Final Series to Qualify for Playoffs

NS and DK have one more series to decide their fate. The loser sees their 2025 LCK season end early without a chance at the World Championship. The winner will advance to the Playoffs Stage and face T1 or KT Rolster in the first round.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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