LoL Analysis: 2016 NALCS, IMT vs TSM (Week 9, Day 1)

Fresh off a good showing at #IEM Katowice, TSM have returned to the same bad habits of dying in bad spots and losing to inferior competition. As much as I would love to see IMT face strong competition, I'm not convinced that will happen before playoffs, and possibly not until the final match. I feel like the only shot TSM have are to get a hard carry from Bjergsen into Pobelter, but that will require Hauntzer to outfarm Reignover. #IMTWin

Picks and Bans – This was a weird phase. Fast bans, with Kindred and Nidalee off the table. And then TSM take away Soraka and Janna. Excited for Adrian to try something else! But not sure that's the way to beat IMT. After first-pick Corki, TSM grab Gragas with Sivir instead of Braum – with a lot of junglers banned, I like this strategy and I remain unconvinced with Yellowstar’s Braum. IMT counter with Sejuani/Lulu, then Graves/Trundle (love) and ending with Yasuo/Karma – whoa! If you look at the TSM lineup (finished with Lissandra), it looks like power picks, but the IMT lineup will be very dangerous in teamfights. So many shields and powerups.


Early Game – Pretty standard lane swaps. Loving the Yellowstar Trundle early even though IMT don’t really have a tank. TSM are moving well and at 10 minutes, had all lanes pressing for them. Of course, IMT got it back after getting vision of the team, but it’s important to not let the IMT minions kill you like so many less coordinated teams have. 25:30 is a fun duel between two of the best on these teams, Huni and Hauntzer, that is traded almost exactly even. Pobelter’s teleport comes before Bjergsen’s, but TSM pick up a kill on Reignover for it. But a return TP by Huni allows him to kill Bjergsen before taking the claw out.

33:00 – Nice play from IMT. They catch Yellowstar and WildTurtle is a beast with Lulu and Karma behind him. I would love to see these guys play Juggermaw! There’s nothing Yellowstar or Svenskeren can do. That’s Baron for IMT and as they finish, Bjergsen trades his life for Adrian’s. Hauntzer is running away but his team have joined to try and take the buff off. They use EVERYTHING on WildTurtle and just can’t bring him down – target switch! Hauntzer and Doublelift give up their lives to take down the Corki. IMT have the Baron on three members and all waves pushing and it should be another snowball coming.

35:40 – There’s nothing TSM can do. Even with 5 under turret, the shields and Wild Growth repel all damage and IMT win another fight, big. Yasuo is already unstoppable and Corki continues to scale. Dare I say that this comp looks even more dangerous than the ones featuring Janna/Soraka?

38:20 – Yup, Yasuo is unstoppable. Bjergsen grabs Turtle but Huni is a killing spree. An Ace will not end the game before 25 minutes, but the Ace at 40:15 does. A pretty clean win for Immortals after they itemized. Sejuani and Yasuo and Karma, the pocket picks, were huge in this game. TSM held early but are just not in IMT’s league in late-game teamfights. With NRG surging and a Sunday game against Liquid, they will need to improve rapidly to avoid C9 or CLG in the first round of the playoffs.