After nine weeks of intense regular season play, several weeks in the playoffs, numerous roster changes, and overall chaos, we find ourselves back where we started.
TSM and Cloud9 will face off in Vancouver for the NA LCS title.
From week one, it was clear that these two teams deserved to be in the finals. While both teams had their ups and downs, no other team in the region could stop these squads from reaching the finals. FlyQuest and Phoenix1 showed promise, but faltered when it mattered most.
The question remains: Can Cloud9 rewrite the ending and come out on top?
The rising star
Something interesting happened in the Spring Split award voting. Only one Riot analyst and caster voted for Juan “Contractz” Garcia. Instead, they favored Echo Fox’s Matthew “Akaadian” Higginbotham or Immortals’ Cody Sun. However, players and coaches preferred Contractz. There’s something about him that analysts and media aren’t seeing.
Contractz made a strong debut in the LCS scene, particularly in Cloud9’s week one victory over TSM. Although he has been inconsistent since then, he shined in the playoff match against Phoenix1. He set up plays all over the map, helping Cloud9 shut down P1’s leads.
Cloud9 needs Contractz to continue performing well because TSM poses a tougher challenge. While Cloud9 excels in teamfights, TSM is even better. TSM’s strategic gameplay and ability to find fights allowed them to dominate Cloud9 in their week five meeting. Cloud9 wants to avoid a repeat of that.
Cloud9’s response is to support Contractz and let him shine. TSM’s lack of priority in the duo lane can give opposing junglers access to Svenskeren’s jungle. Cloud9 needs to show initiative and help Contractz carry the game.
Relying on the MVP
TSM boasts star players like Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg. Bjergsen defines TSM and the team depends on him. He plays mid lane, allowing him to have a significant influence on other parts of the map.
However, Bjergsen didn’t make our Spring Split MVP list. Instead, top laner Kevin “Hauntzer” Yarnell represented TSM. Hauntzer plays a crucial role in TSM’s macro strategy. He adapts to various champions and keeps the enemy team occupied while managing his lane intelligently. TSM can no longer rely on having three pushing lanes consistently, especially against Cloud9.
Hauntzer has become a shot caller, bringing Svenskeren to his side of the map to help him and Bjergsen gain advantages. TSM has become more comfortable trading sides of the map, and their unexpected power plays give them an edge.
For Hauntzer, it’s essential to know when to push and when to be patient. TSM needs to avoid overconfidence, as shown in their early stages against FlyQuest. They must learn from teams like SK Telecom T1, who know when and how to engage and when to retreat.
This matchup between TSM and Cloud9 promises to be thrilling. Bjergsen versus Jensen in the mid lane and Impact versus Hauntzer are dream matchups. Having these two teams in the finals means high-level League of Legends for all of us.