North American Teams Struggle to Dethrone TSM
North American fans are eager for a hero to rise and bring home international victories for the NA LCS teams. However, recent tournaments have not been kind to them. TSM, the leader of the pack, has received a lot of criticism for their failures at last season’s Worlds and last month’s MSI.
But it’s not just TSM that’s to blame. The other teams have also had their chances to take the crown from TSM, but no one has been successful. TSM has consistently made it to the finals and has won most of them, despite all the changes to their roster.
Rankings for the North American Teams
Heading into the Summer Split, we analyzed the challengers to TSM’s throne to see if any of them had a chance at becoming the heroes that NA fans long for. These rankings are based on submissions by staff members and will be updated each split.
10) Team Liquid (7 points)
In a surprising move, Liquid is sticking with the same roster from the Spring Split. The team had a disappointing performance in the spring, but they are hoping that their star Korean players, Kim “Reignover” Yeu-jin and Chae “Piglet” Gwang-jin, will perform better with the new patches.
9) Team EnVyUs (11 points)
EnVy made a change by replacing mid laner Noh “Ninja” Geon-woo with two substitutes: Yasin “Nisqy” Dinçer and Choi “Pirean” Jun-sik. However, it’s uncertain if this change will make a difference for the team.
8) Echo Fox (12 points)
Owner Rick Fox and star mid laner Henrik “Froggen” Hansen have yet to turn Echo Fox into a playoff contender. While they show promise in the early game, the team struggles to close out games and play the map effectively.
7) Immortals (15 points)
Immortals had a mixed performance in the rankings. They have made changes to their coaching staff and roster, which has created uncertainty for the team. Some analysts believe they have the potential to make it to the playoffs, while others think they will struggle.
6) FlyQuest (19 points)
FlyQuest surprised many people in the Spring Split with their aggressive playstyle. Their recent signing of Jason “WildTurtle” Tran has the potential to boost their performance even further. With WildTurtle, FlyQuest could climb the rankings in the upcoming split.
5) Team Dignitas (20 points)
Dignitas barely made it to the playoffs last split and faced elimination. To prove themselves as a legitimate playoff contender, top laner Kim “Ssumday” Chan-ho needs to perform exceptionally well. The team also needs to improve their performance in the lane phase.
4) CLG (30 points)
CLG tends to struggle in the early game but adjusts well throughout the split. They have brought in jungler Dardoch to improve their early game and add more pressure. However, there are concerns about how well the team will work together, given Dardoch’s personality.
3) Phoenix1 (31 points)
Phoenix1 was one of the strongest teams at the end of last split, led by their imports Arrow and Ryu. They have made changes to their support position and hope that several weeks of playing with Jordan “Shady” Robison will turn things around. They also need their jungler Inori to find more consistency.
2) Cloud9 (36 points, 2 first place votes)
Cloud9 is often seen as the major contender to TSM’s throne. With a talented roster, they have the potential to match TSM’s skill in most positions. However, they have faced challenges in fixing their weaknesses throughout the past seasons.
1) TSM (39 points, 3 first place votes)
TSM remains on top. With the return of Doublelift in the duo lane, the team aims to dominate the competition. They have had some struggles in replacing Doublelift’s abilities, but an improved bot lane will enhance TSM’s early game macro. However, the team needs to learn how to stay composed under pressure and play to their win conditions.
These rankings provide insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each team heading into the Summer Split. Fans are eagerly waiting to see if any team can rise up and become the heroes that NA fans desperately desire.