NA LCS Summer Split 2018 Semifinals Recap
Coming into the NA LCS Summer Split 2018 semifinals, there was a ton of hype. Most people were focused on the perennial Cloud9 vs. TSM match-up, and with good reason. Everyone expected an intense best-of-five series because after all when these two teams meet up at any point of the split, it tends to be spectacular.
So, by all means, it was. However, perhaps for the most unexpected reasons.
NA LCS Summer Split 2018 Semifinals – Cloud9 vs. TSM
Coming into the NA LCS Summer Split 2018 semifinals match, Cloud9 was the heavy favorite. They were able to outclass every team in the region throughout their last-second uprising near the very end of the split, and they even managed to demolish Team Liquid in week eight of the regular season with their secret weapon – their Academy jungle-mid duo consisting of Svenskeren and GoldenGlue.
So, no one gave TSM a big chance to pull off the upset. However, after the draft phase of game one concluded, Cloud9 fans had a reason to be uneasy. Giving Akali to Bjergsen was an illogical mistake they should have never made, as the legendary mid laner made good use of the reworked assassin pick.
Even though Cloud9 started off strong with a couple of great plays from Blaber’s Nocturne and Licorice on Ornn, it was TSM that pulled ahead when it mattered the most. Mithy’s Shen pick often turned the numbers in clutch moments, and Zven managed to put on a clinic as Kai’Sa.
Game two went a bit differently though – Cloud9 made the right changes to their draft, most notably exchanging Sneaky’s Quinn in favor of Varus (a much better front-line killer). Suddenly, they looked like a completely different team. They all stepped up considerably on an individual level, and they had a much easier team comp to execute in all stages of the game.
Coming into game three both teams had a clean slate. They both showcased high highs and some questionable lows. After both teams drafted their comps for game three, you really couldn’t predict what was going to happen. Zven went for Swain which is a solid pick in the bottom lane, but he hasn’t been that proficient on it throughout the Summer Split, Zeyzal went for Leona (a highly questionable pick in the first rotation on red side), Sneaky once again locked in Quinn and to round out their comp Jensen went for Galio.
So maybe they would have executed it well enough, had they not given Zven a quadra-kill after an incredibly sloppy engage near the mid lane. The third game was the worst one from Cloud9 – their engages were disjointed, Zeyzal pretty much missed every single Leona ultimate, and Licorice was getting caught out of position while split-pushing frequently. In the end, it seemed like Cloud9 drafted what they wanted, without considering what TSM could do with their team comp.
For a moment, things looked dire for Cloud9. TSM beat them in five straight Best of 5s over the last couple of years, and it seemed like their Summer Split form wasn’t enough to take down one of the most decorated teams in NA LCS history.
However, then came the roster change.
Coming into game four, Reapered decide to sub out Jensen and Blaber – the latter of whom didn’t perform up to expectations. Svenskeren and Goldenglue were still fresh from carrying the Cloud9 Academy team through the Challenger Series, and they’ve been building synergy almost exclusively with one another over the last couple of months.
They come in and completely wreck TSM. Suddenly, the whole team starts playing some incredible League of Legends. As a five-man unit, they were much faster than TSM, they were more proactive, they made a ton of risky plays that TSM wasn’t prepared for, and as the game went on almost every single Cloud9 member started popping off.
Game five was pretty much a repeat in every way, shape, and form. Cloud9 outplayed TSM in every stage of the game, and with two unlikely protagonists to boot. They were able to utilize their pretty unique seven-man roster fully. GoldenGlue and Svenskeren bring a different mindset to the game, they have different strengths and champion pools when compared to Jensen and Blaber, and yet when they get subbed in the team cohesion doesn’t suffer one bit.
It will also go down as one of the best narratives in recent memory. Cloud9 was able to reverse their fate, as they were completely – at one point after four weeks of regular season play – ranked tenth. Not only were they able to secure a playoff bye after going on an incredible win streak, but they were also able to defeat TSM in the most insane – almost unbelievable – twist.
NA LCS Summer Split 2018 Semifinals – Team Liquid vs. 100 Thieves
The Team Liquid vs. 100 Thieves NA LCS Summer Split 2018 semifinals match, however, was a lot less interesting and engaging. Starting off, 100 Thieves decided to start with Rikara instead of Cody Sun. Why they made such a last-minute roster decision remains unclear, and it impacted their level of play as well.
Cody Sun maybe didn’t play to the best of his ability near the very end of the Summer Split, but he developed into one of the best North American AD carries throughout his stint with Immortals.
The first game started badly for Liquid after a botched invade from Xmithie. It seemed like 100 Thieves had Liquid’s number, but TL fought back. It was a pretty even game when it came to gold and objectives for the first twenty minutes, but after 100T took down Baron closing the game out was just a formality.
The series then unfolded in a somewhat unexciting fashion, with both teams going back and forth. Not a lot of action nor bloodshed on either side.
Game two was essentially the same early on. However, after forty minutes, Team Liquid had accrued four elemental drakes and an insurmountable ten thousand gold lead. Games three and four developed similarly – Team Liquid getting small advantages through a better macro, better execution, and more proactive play.
100 Thieves were simply too passive when it mattered the most, and their team fighting wasn’t nearly as good as Liquid’s. In the end, the better team prevailed, and as a result, we get a pretty incredible hype match-up this Sunday.
Fortunately for Team Liquid, they already secured their ticket to Worlds. The last two spots, however, are up for grabs. To bring things back to this week, we have an insanely close final ahead, and it could go either way.
The third-place match, however, is a bit more clear-cut. Even though TSM failed to win their NA LCS Summer Split 2018 semifinals clash, they displayed a lot more potential and cohesion when compared to 100 Thieves, so if they prepare well, they shouldn’t have too big of a problem taking them down and securing at least some championship points before entering the regional qualifier.
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