NA LCS Week 8 Preview
Riot·7/11/2014, 11:13:20 PM·0 votes·1,306 views
Four teams tied in first. Ten games left. You do the math. Nothing is more important this week than a pair of wins for momentum into the playoffs.
Despite the 4 games apiece from the Super Week, the deadlock at the top of the North American standings hasn’t gotten any clearer. In fact, Team SoloMid - formerly just behind the lead pack - have taken it upon themselves to make it even worse. Their 3-1 week brings them even with the rest in front, meaning that half of the league is now tied with 11-7 records. One question is on everyone’s minds—can any team break free?
CompLexity vs. Curse
When: Saturday, July 12, 12pm PDT / 9pm CEST
Even the teams that aren’t in the top four are adding fuel to the North American fire. Despite some titans above them, both CompLexity and Curse put in big weeks and are making waves towards serious playoff contenders. The only problem is that there’s not enough room for both! Unless these two can overtake Cloud9, Curse and CompLexity will be neck-and-neck through the end of the season for a 6th place seed into playoffs. Failure means certain relegation.
Curse have the edge here, though. Xpecial and Cop put in some massive games last week, with Voyboy not far behind. With wins against LMQ, CLG, and Cloud9, Curse are on a roll, and not much can stop them now. CompLexity need to solve their consistency issues, and rely on the key players that have gotten them this far - ROBERTxLEE and Pr0lly. The two carries need to step up if the team wants to survive to playoffs.
Counter Logic Gaming vs. Team Solomid
When: Saturday, July 12, 2pm PDT / 11pm CEST
With four teams tied at the top, every match between them is bound to be important. The first of them comes between CLG, who clawed their way to first in Week 4, and TSM, who did so last week. With LMQ and Dignitas stalling, these two teams have the highest chances of finding a way to break through the standings ceiling.
With so many skilled individual players on each side, the matchups will be the thing to watch here. Bjergsen turned into his former MVP self last week, putting in massive games on Twisted Fate, Syndra, and Kassadin. Opposing him, however, will be Link, who hasn’t exactly looked like a slouch in recent weeks. While the two mid laners will be going at it from the start, the tiebreaker here may very well lie in the junglers’ hands, and with both Dexter and Amazing doing so well, this fight is bound to be a close one.
LMQ vs. Dignitas
When: Saturday, July 12, 3pm PDT / 12am CEST
No two teams have been more surprising this year than LMQ and Dignitas. The latter’s massive roster changes over the last offseason were dramatic, but left the team looking stronger than ever. LMQ, on the other hand, moved here from China to compete and have taken the league by storm. Now they both sit tied for first place, where they’ve been jostling for position since Week 3. The approaching end of the season should have both teams worried for their top slots, and it’s time for both of them to try to finally gain a lead.
LMQ, despite a 2-2 Week 7, seem to be evolving. By relying on Vasili and Mor more often, and XiaoWeiXiao less, the team is diversifying their threats, and that’s going to matter as the playoffs near. Dignitas are attempting to follow the same track, too, but Shiphtur continues to be an important force for the team as they seek victory. Imaqtpie is playing well, but he needs to step it up a notch if Dignitas really want to secure a playoff bye.
Cloud9 vs. Team SoloMid
When: Sunday, July 13, 2pm PDT / 11pm CEST
With TSM edging into first place, Cloud9 now sit alone in fifth place. Sure, They’re only a game behind, but it’s still the bottom half of the league, and for the two-time reigning North American champions, it’s a position they are decidedly not used to. Cloud9 need to put in a big week, and with Day 1 being against the misfiring Evil Geniuses, their biggest challenge comes in the form of Team SoloMid themselves.
The bottom line is that Cloud9 need to win this game. A loss here puts them even further behind first place, and being two games back heading into Week 9 could eliminate them from bye potential. It’s clear that the other NA teams have stepped up to Cloud9’s level, and now Cloud9 need to prove that they can take the game even further. Anything short of that could mean letting go of the title of champions - or even missing out on going to Worlds!
Counter Logic Gaming vs. Team Solomid
When: Saturday, July 12, 2pm PDT / 11pm CEST
With four teams tied at the top, every match between them is bound to be important. The first of them comes between CLG, who clawed their way to first in Week 4, and TSM, who did so last week. With LMQ and Dignitas stalling, these two teams have the highest chances of finding a way to break through the standings ceiling.
With so many skilled individual players on each side, the matchups will be the thing to watch here. Bjergsen turned into his former MVP self last week, putting in massive games on Twisted Fate, Syndra, and Kassadin. Opposing him, however, will be Link, who hasn’t exactly looked like a slouch in recent weeks. While the two mid laners will be going at it from the start, the tiebreaker here may very well lie in the junglers’ hands, and with both Dexter and Amazing doing so well, this fight is bound to be a close one.
LMQ vs. Dignitas
When: Saturday, July 12, 3pm PDT / 12am CEST
No two teams have been more surprising this year than LMQ and Dignitas. The latter’s massive roster changes over the last offseason were dramatic, but left the team looking stronger than ever. LMQ, on the other hand, moved here from China to compete and have taken the league by storm. Now they both sit tied for first place, where they’ve been jostling for position since Week 3. The approaching end of the season should have both teams worried for their top slots, and it’s time for both of them to try to finally gain a lead.
LMQ, despite a 2-2 Week 7, seem to be evolving. By relying on Vasili and Mor more often, and XiaoWeiXiao less, the team is diversifying their threats, and that’s going to matter as the playoffs near. Dignitas are attempting to follow the same track, too, but Shiphtur continues to be an important force for the team as they seek victory. Imaqtpie is playing well, but he needs to step it up a notch if Dignitas really want to secure a playoff bye.
Cloud9 vs. Team SoloMid
When: Sunday, July 13, 2pm PDT / 11pm CEST
With TSM edging into first place, Cloud9 now sit alone in fifth place. Sure, They’re only a game behind, but it’s still the bottom half of the league, and for the two-time reigning North American champions, it’s a position they are decidedly not used to. Cloud9 need to put in a big week, and with Day 1 being against the misfiring Evil Geniuses, their biggest challenge comes in the form of Team SoloMid themselves.
The bottom line is that Cloud9 need to win this game. A loss here puts them even further behind first place, and being two games back heading into Week 9 could eliminate them from bye potential. It’s clear that the other NA teams have stepped up to Cloud9’s level, and now Cloud9 need to prove that they can take the game even further. Anything short of that could mean letting go of the title of champions - or even missing out on going to Worlds!
