LoL Fantasy - IEM Day 3: Analysis and Picks
As expected, SKT cruised through the opening rounds at IEM Katowice, easily dispatching CLG and QG on the way. On the other side of the bracket is survivor Fnatic, who fought back after an opening game loss to QG to defeat the same team in in a best of three. CLG did take a game off of Fnatic in their series, but ultimately flamed out in Poland and heads home empty-handed.
We now head to the semifinals, which are both Bo3s and will be the focus of this article. Winners will earn the right to play each other in the Katowice finals immediately following the first two series. All in all, it should be an exciting day of League of Legends.
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SK Telecom T1 vs. Team SoloMid
TSM deserves a lot of credit for the improvement they showed throughout the course of the day on Friday, bouncing back from a heartbreaking loss in the tournaments opening game against ESC Ever, to eventually easily dispatching the same team in a Bo3. It bodes well for the future of this squad and it’s certainly a big plus for the team when they head back to Los Angeles for the remainder of the LCS season, but buoying Friday’s success into an upset over SKT is another story.
SKT’s route to this series came much, much easier. In wins over CLG and Qiao Gu, they took just nine total deaths, while picking up 36 kills. The defending World Champions also just two Dragons, no barons and only nine turrets. Simply put, SKT hasn’t yet been tested in the tournament, and it’s fair to say that TSM isn’t all that likely to provide a significantly more difficult challenge than their first two opponents, if at all.
That isn’t to say that TSM isn’t a good team, or that this upset isn’t possible, but the team’s consistency this season doesn’t make one think they are at a level of play high enough to defeat a team like SKT. I’ll be looking to get SKT players into my teams.
Best Plays
Bang, ADC – SKT (DK $8,300, AD $7,900) – I generally prefer to pay for Faker when I choose an expensive player from SKT, but Bang stole the show on Saturday with 17 kills. Faker was far less involved, even posting a 1/1/2 line in the team’s easy win over CLG.
Blank, Jungle – SKT (DK $7,200, AD $7,500) – Putting together a pair of solid lines on Saturday, 3/0/3 and 1/1/19, Blank began to look like he may in fact be SKT’s next fulltime jungler.
Bjergsen, Mid – TSM (DK $5,400, AD $7,300) – I’m okay with the Bjergsen play against SKT. Faker has seemed content to simply go with his team thus far in the tournament and shouldn’t play Bjerg out of the game, or even try to. Bjergsen also has 35 kills in the tournament so far, albeit with more games played than teams who came out of the winner’s bracket.
Royal Never Give Up vs. Fnatic
This is the more interesting of the two games, as Fnatic proved they still have what it takes to beat international competition when they knocked Reapers out in a Bo3. Fnatic have 116 kills in their seven games at the tournament. There are genuine reasons to think that if Fnatic can come out well prepared, that they could take out RNG.
It will be tough, of course, as RNG have looked quite strong in their pair of games. Like SKT, Royal hasn’t been tested yet, and it’s certainly possible it will stay that way. Once more, like SKT, they’ve given up just 10 deaths, seven turrets and only one Dragon. RNG is a considerable favorite, but less so than SKT is against SoloMid.
If we’re looking for the series with the most upside, this is it. Fnatic may very well steal at least a game and force the series to go the distance. Players from both sides are in consideration.
Best Plays
Spirit, Jungle – FNC (DK $5,200, AD $7,100) – Perhaps Fnatic’s most important player on Saturday, Spirit will once again be a huge factor in whether or not Fnatic can make things interesting against superior opponents.
Rekkles, ADC – FNC (DK $6,300, AD $7,500) – If we go cheap at a carry position, it’s a tough choice between Rekkles and Febiven, but Rekkles had some of his best games of 2016 on Saturday. I’m sticking with the hot hand, especially with Spirit playing well and potential focus on the bottom lane.
Looper, Top – RNG (DK $7,000, AD $8,000) – Top lane is a little on the ugly side for Sunday’s semifinal slate, but I think the upside of the Royal series gives Looper top billing. I’m more likely to go cheap at other positions, so Looper is my top option from his lane.