Week 4, Day 4 of the League of Legends Pro League kicked off with NewBee coming out on top 2-1 over Team WE on Sunday in Shanghai.
Both NewBee (4-3, 10-9 match record) and Team WE (5-2, 12-7 match record) drafted teamfighting/pick hybrid team compositions going into the Game 1, setting the stage for frequent fights throughout. The first 20 minutes saw the two teams fight often, but Team WE emerged on top with a 4,000-gold lead and double Mountain Drake lead. NewBee evened out the kill deficit by cleanly winning a 3-for-0 teamfight that led to a free Baron at the 23-minute mark. The next 10 minutes saw NewBee slowly build a gold lead by pushing lanes, until the 33-minute mark when a teamfight in the mid lane that ended 4-for-0 in favor of NewBee led to a quick push and end to the game.
Game 2 started with both teams drafting more teamfight-oriented compositions compared to the hybrid compositions of Game 1. Team WE found the early lead by winning a 3-for-0 teamfight around the 10-minute mark, but a well-played mid lane skirmish allowed NewBee to even the kills. It didn't take long for the teams to go back at it, around the 17-minute mark the teams fought over an Infernal Drake that Team WE ended up taking, along with a 5-for-3 teamfight victory. NewBee looked to take the lead back by forcing a teamfight around the 25-minute mark, but it backfired and led to a 2-for-0 victory and free Baron for Team WE. After pushing lanes with Baron buff, Team WE forced a teamfight and quickly ended the game before NewBee could even react.
The final match of the series started with the same basic compositions that have been played all series, but this time NewBee started out on top early on. With a lead at 20 minutes for the first time during the series, NewBee managed to earn a delayed ace while taking down Baron at the 23-minute mark. NewBee didn't have a strong Baron strategy, but Team WE didn't offer much resistance, either. After spending 10 minutes pushing lanes and setting up waves, NewBee found another ace while taking down a second Baron to close out the series against Team WE in the 34-minute match.
NewBee will return to the Rift to play Edward Gaming on Friday, July 14 at 5 a.m ET, while Team WE will play its next domestic game against JD Gaming on Saturday, July 15 at 8 a.m ET.