Tag Archives: TSM

Analysis and Opinion

Dignitas vs. TSM, Summer Playoffs Preview

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I didn’t expect TSM to fall into the Lower Bracket right off the bat, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Dignitas probably didn’t expect that, either. Now we’re going to see two of the oldest orgs in North American LoL fighting for a chance to reach the next stage of the Lower Bracket.

For TSM, this is a chance to redeem themselves for an incredibly disappointing showing against the Golden Guardians. For Dignitas, it’s a chance to embrace the underdog role and win back some respect from a community that has set such low expectations for them all year long, myself included.

Dignitas Key Player and Path to Victory

Continue reading Dignitas vs. TSM, Summer Playoffs Preview →

Analysis and Opinion

TSM vs. Golden Guardians, Summer Playoffs Preview

Patreon subscribers had access to this post early.

With TSM’s 2-0 advantage in the season series and plenty of recent momentum, including a win over Cloud9 in week 8, Bjergsen et al. should be confident coming into this Quarterfinal. But the Golden Guardians have been consistently slept on all year and have routinely performed above expectations, earning their own win over Cloud9 earlier in the same week and ending the season with the second-best EGR and GPR in the LCS.

If the Golden Guardians can make the series all about the early game, they have a great shot to advance. But if TSM can weather the storm and find ways to scale, their superior mid/late play should see them move on.

TSM Key Player and Path to Victory

For most of the season, Bjergsen played a half-step down from MVP level. Continue reading TSM vs. Golden Guardians, Summer Playoffs Preview →

Analysis and Opinion

LCS 2020 Summer Preseason Power Rankings

The LCS 2020 Summer Split kicks off this Friday, and we’ve seen quite a few changes to the rosters. Aside from Cloud9‘s solid hold on the LCS’s top spot, the balance of power around the league was pretty precarious in Spring, and the movement of players like Doublelift, Dardoch, and Damonte could introduce a lot more volatility, making it hard to predict who might emerge to take a shot at C9 come playoffs.

I foresee a lot of movement from a few mid-tier teams, and a holding pattern from others, which should allow for some leapfrogging and hopefully a tighter pack of contenders looking to dethrone C9.

The following power rankings are my attempt to sort through the rosters and gauge each team’s strength, and where I think they’ll finish by the end of the split. Along the way, I’ll make notes of what I had predicted for Spring, and what actually happened, to provide some context for what I’m thinking now.

Edit: I don’t normally edit this type of analysis after it’s posted, but the Immortals announced an unexpected starting roster on June 10 and I felt compelled to revise accordingly.

Continue reading LCS 2020 Summer Preseason Power Rankings →