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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

LoL Analysis: 2016 IEM Katowice, TSM vs OG (Group A, Game 1 of 3)

Origen have struggled in the EULCS after a Cinderella run to the 2015 Worlds semis. The top of the #EULCS is super strong right now, but it’s been a long time since OG won against a good team. TSM have had success against good #NALCS teams, but how good is the NALCS? We’re about to find out.


Picks and Bans – TSM first-picks Nautilus, a bit of a surprise since Hauntzer has been a reliable carry, but he gives them a ton of options at the expense of waveclear. Also they give up Lucian and Nidalee to OG. Then it gets a little funky – they prioritize Janna/Lee Sin, not champions you associate as power picks, before finishing with LeBlanc/Ezreal. Origen follow with Lissandra/Thresh and a last-pick Poppy for teamfight utility. I like the Janna for Yellowstar – TSM have had issues following his aggressive lead, and Janna will certainly keep Doublelift safe, another TSM weakness. But it is interesting to see TSM completely abandon the split push that worked for them against ESC – until they abandoned it. Bjergsen played really well on Lissandra and I’m excited to see his LeBlanc vs the Lissandra of PowerOfEvil.

Early Game – Another good start for TSM knowing that Nidalee is a power farmer and Yellowstar forces Amazing out of the red side. That is a 3 buff start for TSM. Then at 14:30 Hauntzer is almost executed by the turret. What is going on in NA?!? That allows OG to get Herald, push the bot lane, and take first Dragon. 24:20 – Chaos. OG rotate to the top lane and Yellowstar is caught in the bush and killed. TSM did not have sufficient vision of the jungle exits. Everyone TPs and Bjergsen pops Soaz. Doublelift and Hauntzer goes down but Bjergsen is still going; both he and Sven get Double Kills with Zven barely escaping. OG have big leads in the top and jungle, however, and get another dragon at 14 minutes. Doublelift is getting lots of solo farm, his natural environment, but OG are rotating faster and getting all the neutral objectives, disappointing for TSM after the strong early start.

Mid Game – OG trade a kill on Amazing for the TSM mid lane outer. Someone tell me how Yellowstar survives at 32:35? Nidalee misses a spear and Poppy had just used his cooldowns so Yellowstar walks straight past the OG base and Bjergsen gets another kill. Moving Soaz off the turret is more free farm and a turret for Doublelift (OG trade for the top lane). In a very strange game, it’s now TSM that have the advantage with gold on the right people. TSM collapse on Soaz again at 33:50, OG match, and it’s another strange fight. He walks out of it but PowerOfEvil TPs into the middle of a pack. He’s unable to take down Bjergsen and a good engage from Svenskeren is a 4-1 teamfight win for TSM. PowerOfEvil absolutely should have cancelled the TP – they never should have called for it in the first place.

40:50 – After a few traded kills but no objectives, TSM rotate all members to the top lane and OG just don’t react fast enough. TSM take the Tier 2 easily and take down the Inhibitor turret as well. Yellowstar ults but not before Soaz knocks Hauntzer away – no tank and no Janna ult is a big problem for TSM! Instead OG peel off (Zven was pushing the TSM mid) and leave PowerOfEvil for dead, buying time for Zven to trade the inhibitor back.

49:15 – TSM camp mid for several minutes and OG are unable to push them out of it or rotate to another objective. After a back-and-forth, TSM head back for the open top inhibitor, OG throw up a fight featuring misplays on both sides. Hauntzer straight tanks a ton of damage, allowing his team to take the inhibitor down. That allows them to take Baron a few minutes later. In an odd turn, TSM actually feature better lane management in this game than the one against ESC in which they had Hauntzer on Fiora. At 56:00 they have two waves pushing, catch PowerOfEvil, and take two inhibitors and a nexus turret. OG have no way to deal with Nautilus.

58:55 – PowerOfEvil, a bit uninspiring on Lissandra, tries to TP with Homeguards and catch someone with his ult, but he is erased by Bjergsen. That’s a hard carry! That’s the game.

Through two games, TSM have proven that they at least belong with their international colleagues. I know that neither OG nor ESC are threats in their home leagues, but TSM had solid outplays in both games and showed increasing ability to control the map and play the macro style that is so important in Korea and Europe. For OG, this is a continuation of their struggles in EU - unable to control the map, insufficient plays from key players

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