RADIO
Welcome back summoners, to another LOL breakdown article featuring five LCS matchups, our last day of the regular season summer split. TSM locked up first place yesterday, and FLY defeated IMT to keep their eighth place dreams alive. GG no longer controls their destiny to make playoffs, as they need to win and FLY needs to lose for that to happen. Third place is also up for grabs as C9, EG, and TL all hold the same record. There are plenty of potential upsets today, especially in the LCS best of one fiesta region. Let's get into it and as a side note, I exclusively play on DraftKings. For FanDuel players, I would recommend building around the game theories that will be discussed.
The only roster changes we need to worry about today are regarding the 100t roster. The 100T academy roster was brought up for the last game of the split, here are the starters from top to support: Tenacity, Kenvi, Ry0ma, Luger, Poome. Ry0ma and Poome have seen LCS time before, while everyone else is making their LCS debut. Regarding EG, it should be Svenskeren today if I had to guess, as we won't know until pre-game which jungler is starting, as maybe Contractz gets the start vs his old team.
I'll provide my League of Legends advice, analysis, and picks, for this LCS slate on DraftKings and FanDuel that locks at 4:00 PM EST on Sunday, August 1st, 2021. If you have any questions about the slate or anything please reach out to me on Twitter @MAVPickems. I'll do my best to provide some useful analysis. The odds listed are from Pinnacle. Let's jump right into the matchups!
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*Teams on left side are on blue side, meaning they have first pick in the draft phase.
- Dignitas (+198) vs TeamSolo Mid (-247)
- Immortals (-129) vs Golden Guardians (+106)
- Team Liquid (-112) vs Cloud 9 (-108)
- 100 Thieves (+140) vs Evil Geniuses (-170)
- Flyquest (-130) vs Counter Logic Gaming (+107)
DIG vs TSM
For the first match of the day, we have Akaadian's revenge as the narrative here. Facing his old team, DIG looks to close out the season with a win and is already locked for sixth place. They have won four of their past five matches, really looking more comfortable with Akaadian subbed in since Dardoch was dropped. TSM locked up first yesterday so this game means nothing for either side, except bragging rights and an extra W in the win column.
I expect TSM to continue to do what they've done a lot in the second half of the split, and that is experiment in draft with new playstyles that can benefit them in the long run in terms of playstyle variations. We know PowerofEvil can play control mages well, so they have been putting him on Lee Sin, Lucian, and other more aggressive champs that can be flexed as well. Spica is having a great split and is arguably the best jungler in NA, in my opinion, he is. DIG may come into draft with the same mindset knowing they are locked into sixth, so on blue side I expect them to grab a flex power pick for Akaadian or Yusui, both of who have large champion pools. I don't think this game will be at the top of most people's stack radars, so I'll be happy to get to full stacks on both sides of this one at lower ownership than C9, EG, and FLY. I think we can definitely see some early skirmishing and fights breaking out over objectives, especially with how much both supports like to roam. Again, this game will go overlooked since others have higher projected kill counts, but in a game that doesn't mean much for either team, I expect to see some more loose play than usual here. DIG wins and might be my favorite underdog on the whole slate, and I prefer getting to the bottom side of the map, with Neo being the top CAPTAIN play for me. Going against my TSM guys here for GPP's is a great way to get different on this slate, and will be really overlooked.
Top DIG plays: Neo, Akaadian, Aphromoo, Yusui, FakeGod
Top TSM plays: Spica, PowerofEvil, Swordart, Huni, Lost
IMT vs GG
IMT, locked for seventh place, looks to secure a FLY playoff spot by defeating GG here today. They definitely had a better second half of the split than the first, and the same can be said for GG. GG leads the league in CKPM, while IMT sits in the bottom half of the league, and also slows down the pace more on the blue side. However, hopping back on IMT here after their two-game skid may come with decent ownership leverage. I expect IMT to draft one of their bread and butter compositions, drafting comfortable matchups for Xerxe and Raes, with a flex pick thrown in there as well to give Revenge or Insanity a potential counterpick. GG has been playing more around the top side since Licorice has been in, so Revenge may need the flexibility in draft for this matchup. Both supports have actually been shining spots of their rosters recently, so this game may end up being more bot lane focused. I expect some skirmishing so I definitely want pieces of this match, as IMT have looked sloppy in games vs lower tier teams this split.
GG is most likely deflated and demoralized after losing their chance to secure playoffs yesterday, while I expect IMT to come out hungry to end the split on a win. Give me IMT here for full stacks and small stacks, with GG sprinkled in there, but I prefer getting to other underdogs first.
TOP IMT plays: Xerxe, Raes, Destiny, Revenge, Insanity
Top GG plays: AblazeOlive, Iconic, Licorice, Chime, Stixaay
TL vs C9
A great matchup and rematch of the Spring Finals, Santorin and TL are back together again to face off against C9 with Perkz in the roster this time around. I'm trying to be brief but always think of more things to say, but to be straightforward I want to fade this game and the ownership that might come along with it. C9 should draw some ownership as well as TL now that the power combo of Alphari + Santorin is back in action. We've seen both these teams play up-tempo as well as slowing the game down, and since TL is on their comfort blue side here, I expect them to have control of the pace in this matchup. C9 games can very well get out of hand when it comes to skirmishing and kills counts, but with this game having meaningful implications for third place, I expect tight gameplay and a close game here. That could bode well for DFS, but it also could not, and it really comes down to draft. I really see a world where one of these two squads drafts a 1-3-1 split push composition that would rather play the side lanes and not team fight and only group when they need to, for dragons and neutral objectives.
For the sake of this slate, it's a dog or pass spot for me. So I will be over the field on TL, who beat EG in a lower scoring match yesterday, and under the field for the expensive C9 stacks, who crushed DIG yesterday and might see another boost in ownership. I expect a similar TL win to yesterday, where they push their advantages effectively without fighting constantly. Although like I mentioned, C9 games can get out of hand, so I will certainly have some TL full stacks revolving around the top side of the map. I just don't see this as being the slate-breaking game in terms of kill upside, so I prefer small stacks on both sides from this match.
Top TL plays: Santorin, Alphari, Jensen
Top C9 plays: Zven, Blaber, Perkz
100T vs EG
This match features the debut for most of the 100T academy roster, in a matchup vs ARGUABLY the best team in the league, so it's a lot to ask of the 100ta members. EG looks to bounce back after their loss to TL yesterday, and close out the season with six wins in their past eight matches, assuming they beat 100t. I've watched this 100tA roster since the Spring, and they are an aggressive bunch. Their carries are Luger (stud ADC prodigy, this guy has UPSIDE) and Kenvi (jungler, LCS debut with huge upside as well) in terms of kill share and gold share, and are supported by Poome, Ry0ma, and Tenacity . Poome's price is swapped with Ry0ma lol.
EG wants to end the season on a win here and spoil the 100tA debut here. Most likely EG comes out on top, but this 100t roster has firepower. Luger is my favorite GPP CAPTAIN option here if 100t pull out the win, followed by Kenvi and Ry0ma. I want both sides of this match, as I expect fights to break out early and often. I think this matchup revolves around the bot side, with fights around the dragons and bot lane tower dives. Impact vs Tenacity in the top lane shouldn't be too action-packed in my opinion, as I expect both to draft some default matchup like Renekton vs Volibear or something along those lines. EG has the slight edge in the Top, Jungle, and Support position, while Mid and Adc carries have similar upside in my honest opinion. Ry0ma does his best work on control mages and more supportive champions so he should still be involved, while Luger or Kenvi clean up the kills. I like how 100t match up here vs EG and are another underdog that will go overlooked. 100T is my second favorite underdog on the slate, and I will be over the field on this bloody match in particular. 100t wins because it's LCS lol.
Top 100T plays: LUGER SZN, KENVI SZN, Ry0ma, Tenacity
Top EG plays: Jiizuke, Svenskeren, Danny, Ignar, Impact
FLY vs CLG
I've rambled on about this slate longer than expected, so I'll be straightforward with this one. FLY will win this match in dominant, low kill fashion, making it my favorite FADE of the day. CLG has been a slower tempo team since Damonte joined, and Josedeodo + Palafox will look to shut down Broxah + Damonte who still don't look on the same page. FLY will play for the later game stages as they should be more proactive in the mid to late stages with blue side power pick. It would be truly counter logic for CLG to come out with a win in this one, as FLY looked great yesterday, and again the mid/jungle duo was doing really well in the academy before being brought up two days ago. Give me FLY for small stacks only, with CLG rolling over and letting their nexus explode in the last match of their depressing split, while FLY head into playoffs with a clean W. FLY ownership receives a big boost after their slapped around IMT yesterday, so I'll prioritize my full stacks from elsewhere.
Top FLY plays: Palafox, Josedeodo, Diamond
Top CLG plays(if you're counter logic enough): Broxah, Finn, Damonte
Summary
- TLDR: My favorite primary stacks/picks in order: DIG, IMT, 100T, EG, TL, C9, FLY, CLG
- My favorite matches to FADE are FLY vs CLG and TL vs C9. Love the ownership on both sides of the TSM vs DIG match. EG vs 100t should provide fireworks as well.
- Pricing is flexible on DK, and I highly recommend playing an underdog somewhere in your lineup(s) today. Embrace the LCS chaos. Good luck summoners!
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