The 2021 LCS Summer Split is finally here and, needless to say, there’s quite a lot to talk about!
Now, the current LCS status quo is somewhat peculiar for a fairly simple reason: things haven’t changed much (at least not enough for it to matter), which means the end result is nothing but a foregone conclusion. In other words, our preliminary Summer Split power rankings have a lot in common with the ones we did back in January.
Small, nuanced adjustments have been made in accordance to how each team had performed throughout the first half of the season, but that’s pretty much it — there’s nothing overly novel or grandiose for us to sink our teeth into. There’s still far too big of a gap between the upper echelon of the LCS and everyone else. The only question now is: will any of the dark horses be able to subvert our expectations and compete with the likes of Team Liquid and Cloud9? That’s arguably the only “question mark” of sorts coming into the 2021 LCS Summer Split, so we’ll keep this preview as short and sweet as possible.
So, frankly speaking, if you’re hoping for a historic split filled with unexpected twists and upsets that’ll make you water at the mouth, you’ll probably be left wanting. Still, this is North America we’re talking about — we’ll be entertained beyond measure even though there’s very little uncertainty as to how things will unfold.
2021 LCS Summer Split Preview | Who’s Playing?
The best way to approach this — much like any other power ranking — is to divide teams based on their current status and overall potential.
A reminder of where the teams stand heading into the 2021 #LCS Summer Split:
(1) #C9WIN (13-5)
(2) #TLWIN (12-6)
(-) #TSMWIN (12-6)
(4) #100WIN (11-7)
(-) #DIGWIN (11-7)
(6) #EGWIN (10-8)
(7) #IMTWIN (7-11)
(8) #FLYWIN (6-12)
(9) #CLGWIN (5-13)
(10) #GGWIN (3-15)— LCS (@LCSOfficial) June 4, 2021
We’ve already seen them in action so we know what we can expect going forward. You should, however, keep in mind that nothing is set in stone and surprises can, in fact, occur when you least expect them to.
The Biggest Favourites
There are a couple of dark horses that are lurking in the shadows, but if history is any indication (and it really should be), they’ll fall short when it matters most.
Which of these two favourites will ultimately emerge victorious is anyone’s guess at this point; they’ve been trading blows ever since 2021 began and that should remain the case going forward as well. Simply put: Cloud9 and Team Liquid are on a whole ‘nother level, and whenever they put their best foot forward, double down on their strengths, and execute to the best of their ability, there isn’t anyone in North America who can trade blows and live to tell the tale.
Team Liquid — If we had to make an outright prediction, we’d go with Team Liquid. Our reasoning is quite simple: had Lucas “Santorin” Tao Kilmer Larsen been able to compete back in the Spring Split finals, Team Liquid would’ve probably gotten their hands raised — “probably” being the operative word here.
In any case, this is a world-class line-up without any apparent weaknesses. They’re not perfect, but they have all the right tools and players to go the distance and become LCS champions. Whether that’ll happen still remains to be seen, but the odds are certainly stacked in their favour!
Cloud9 — There’s a bit of trouble in paradise, which is why we’re putting Cloud9 behind TL this time around. The gap between these two teams (assuming that it exists) is by no means insurmountable, but at the highest of levels these small nuances make a world of difference. Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen has been demoted to playing in Academy, which means Cloud9 won’t be quite as dangerous or threatening in the bottom lane as we’d come to expect.
His replacement is solid, but nowhere near as capable or experienced as one of the most decorated and revered marksmen in the history of the game.
So predicting how well they’ll perform going forward is a pretty thankless endeavour. They’re obviously going to wreck house more often than not, but their embarrassing showing at MSI is definitely something to think about.
The Dark Horses
Next up, we have two teams that have earned our benefit of the doubt. Whether they’ll be able to compete on even footing with the likes of Cloud9 and Team Liquid still remains to be seen, but they definitely have a puncher’s chance. Now, finishing in third place isn’t anything to write home about, but there’s a World Championship ticket on the line as well.
Team SoloMid — The boys in black and white impressed us in all the right ways last split. Were they perfect? Perish the thought! But they still performed far better than most folks expected and had moments of absolute brilliance. That, in short, is what we’re always on the lookout for — proof of their long-term potential; fortunately, that’s something that this five-man bunch has in spades!
They’re a shoo-in for Top 3, although with the couple of exciting changes 100 Thieves made during the off-season, TSM will have to fight tooth and nail to secure a finish near the very top and subsequently compete in Shenzhen, China come October!
In any case, we’re excited to see them in action as they’ve grown and developed at a staggering pace, despite facing some fairly grim odds at the start of 2021.
100 Thieves — This is where things get interesting. 100 Thieves have done very little to warrant our benefit of the doubt. They’ve been mediocre for years, despite restructuring every so often; even when they do end up with a respectable line-up they still find a way to disappoint. 2021 has been no different in that regard.
Still, with Felix “Abbedagge” Braun in the mid lane and Bok “Reapered” Han-gyu as their head coach, it’s impossible not to get excited. These are two phenomenal changes and they’ve obviously been made at the perfect moment. Will this be enough to push them into the Top 3? Will they finally be able to trade blows with the three teams ranked above and actually win out from time to time? On paper we’d have to answer with a pretty confident “yes” but you can never be too sure with 100 Thieves.
Either way, this stylish organisation will field an exceptional line-up that has all the right tools to not only leave a mark but also represent North America at the biggest of stages come October. Whether they’ll deliver or not, however, still remains to be seen.
The Gatekeepers
Next up, we have three fairly idiosyncratic gatekeepers, all of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. They’re great, but just not great enough for it to matter.
Even at their best, they still pale in comparison to the four teams listed above. Moreover, one could further segregate them based on their Spring Split performances, but they’ve done enough to warrant our benefit of the doubt; the reason why EG, DIG, and CLG are all clumped up together is because there’s a very real chance they’ll all compete on even footing over the next couple of weeks.
Whether that’ll actually end up being the case is still impossible to predict with confidence, but the potential is certainly there.
They’re one-dimensional, and a single roster change isn’t enough to change that. Regardless, with so many talented players they’re all but guaranteed to finish near the very top of the standings.
All in all, there’s a lot to like with this Dignitas line-up, and even though they’re not destined for great, historic things, they’re still a potent bunch that will entertain us in all the right ways.
Still, that’s quite an improvement given whom we’re talking about, so credit where credit is due. Once Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen was able to join the team, CLG instantly became a lot more dangerous and it showed in their play as well. They doubled down on their strengths, shored up most of their weaknesses, and were looking like a very solid playoff contender near the very end of the split.
The Bottom-tier Dwellers
Finally, we have the three teams who have either done very little or next to nothing to earn our benefit of the doubt: FlyQuest, Immortals, and the Golden Guardians.
FlyQuest and Immortals have a bit more potential than GGS, but that probably won’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Either way, they’re deemed as bottom-tier dwellers for a reason, and even though they might perform a bit better than expected, they won’t be able to usurp the long-established status quo any time soon, if ever.
2021 LCS Summer Split Preview | Betting Tips
As always, try to watch as many games as you possibly can. Tournament previews are great as a primer of sorts, but competitive League is a fickle beast, one with an ever-changing nature.
Although, to be fair, the North American region isn’t known for its stability. More often than not we know who’ll win, but how it’ll all unfold is always packed with surprises. Upsets tend to happen on a fairly regular basis, with seemingly impossible things occurring at the most random of moments.
That’s when teams are still trying to figure things out — there’s no “one” way of playing the game, but rather a slew of possibilities, some more efficient than others. It takes time before teams can get on the same page and fully grasp the meta and its many nuances. After a couple of weeks, though, things should stabilise quite a bit. Upsets will still happen, but nowhere near as often.
The 2021 #LCS Summer Split kicks off today at 2:30PM PT / 5:30PM ET with Lane X Lane followed by the opening match of the season between @TeamLiquidLoL and @TSM at 3PM PT / 6PM ET!
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) June 4, 2021
All in all, there’s definitely a reason to tune in — doubly so if you’re a fan of skirmish-heavy fiestas that leave no one indifferent! As always, we’ll bring you more coverage over the coming days and weeks, so stay tuned!
https://www.thesportsgeek.com/blog/2021-lcs-summer-split-preview-betting-tips/
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