With the LCS playoffs looming, North America has three Worlds spots. Who would best represent the LCS?
The 2021 Summer Split playoffs will not only crown the LCS Champion, but will also determine the three North American representatives going to Worlds. The West generally has a tall task ahead of them for Worlds. Both the LPL and LCK have four slots this year, meaning every group will have at least one Chinese and Korea team. From the level of play they have shown, this will certainly be difficult. Alongside this, PCS representatives such as PSG Talon have been dominate both regionally and domestically.
This all makes sending the strongest NA teams extremely important if NA even has a hope of escaping groups. The last few Worlds have been utter disappointments for the LCS, as NA failed to make the knockout stages in 2019 and 2020. If the LCS wants to turn around their international image, here’s who they need to send.
Cloud9 – Second times the charm
Cloud9 had a very middling showing at MSI with countless ‘almost’ wins over top teams such as Damwon Kia and RNG. Cloud9 always seemed on the cusp of greatness, but never able to fully execute. With another split to grow and synergize, Cloud9 seem worth of another run at an international competition. Cloud9 have certainly improved in their lacking areas.
Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami has grown into one of the best toplaners in the LCS, only continuing his steady improvement. Rober “Blaber” Huang was the most criticized junglers at MSI, often over prioritizing schuttle crab and resulting in countless misplays. The Spring MVP is far from his highest level, but is definitely in the upper echelon of NA junglers currently. Blaber’s rebound is integral to Cloud9’s success, and a good performance in the playoffs would only soldify C9’s claim of a Worlds spot.
Evil Geniuses – Time to strike
Evil Geniuses seemed an unlikely squad to win it all, but they now appear as potential contender. The meta seems to have hit EG at just the right time, as Daniele “Jiizuke” di Mauro’s champion pool is currently at its strongest. Alongside this, EG’s new botlane are more dominant than ever. In many ways, EG resembles a 2018 Cloud9, a group of surging performers, successfully juggling two junglers, with hard carries in the solo lanes.
Evil Geniuses still need to prove themselves in longer series, as the team could fizzle out just as easily as they heated up. The team has incredible Worlds experience with an upstart rookie popping off in his first full year. The team seems like an exceptionally good squad to send to Worlds.
TSM – Looking to overcome the 0-6 curse
TSM were disgraced at the last Worlds. The first seed finished winless in a difficult group with some of the LCS’s historically best talents. Now, TSM look rejuvenated and ready for another run. Tristan “PowerOfEvil” Schrage had an incredible Worlds 2020 despite his finish and Hu “SwordArt” Shou-Chieh nearly completed the perfect run.
Now, the team has had all year to grow and synergize together. This has led the team to their first place regular season record with some of the best individual performances of the year. If TSM enter Worlds 2021, it’ll be with a chip on their shoulder. This roster is almost entirely new however, and will be entering fresh and ready to represent the LCS.
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