LoL Analysis: NALCS 2016 Summer, NV vs TSM (Week 4)

TSM are straight rolling this split, with Biogod Biofrost providing much needed game sense and synergy with Doublelift. Everyone has found his role, Svenskeren is effectively getting leads for his carries, and everyone is teamfighting well around Bjergsen and Double. I still think that a split push style, a la CLG, can potentially cause them problems, but honestly, I don't know if anyone outside Immortals has the horses to compete. NV have a big task ahead of them in this matchup, but these are the games they need to prove they belong in the upper half of the standings.

GAME 1

Picks and Bans – NV start well getting Trundle and Ezreal, but then mysteriously finish thing off with a Varus, which basically gives Bjergsen a huge pressure advantage on Zilean. They have a strong pick comp, but I’m not sure how that works with Trundle – I think you’d rather have double TP and try to play a split push game. I can see the fear of them not being able to split against TSM’s superior coordination, but I don’t know if Varus is the answer. TSM have so much speed with Karma and Zilean and Sivir and double TP, I just don’t see NV playing their comp effectively. Braum/Ezreal will eventually be good against Karma/Sivir, but can they get to the late game?


Early game – Advantage immediately to TSM who execute a much cleaner laneswap and get Hauntzer a lead on Irelia. Like they have been doing, they make good reactionary rotations, showing an advanced ability to read the map, but aren’t able to seize tempo and push TSM on the plays. They don’t really have a comp that can catch TSM out, and that is a big drawback of the Varus mid – you need to group with the team to have an impact. The advantage snowballs at 13:30 where again, TSM make a stronger rotation to the bot lane and pick up three kills and another turret. NV should have just let the turret fall, but I can understand their fear – they’ve basically lost the Trundle win condition, and their comp isn’t working out.

That’s it. TSM smartly snowball their early lead making all the right calls and take down a nexus turret inside 18 minutes. NV stall out the game for a time with Seraph catching up in CS, but I agree with Kobe – their issues in champ select really threw the game. Procxin just had too many places to be in the early game and couldn’t help all his lanes. TSM control every objective and at 33:00, Svenskeren executes an amazing knockup that takes out Seraph and eventually gives TSM an extended Ace and a free Baron.

GAME 2

Picks and Bans – NV’s draft is much better with Lucian/Trundle and Cassiopeia mid.

Early Game – NV should be setting deep wards to get matched lanes, but instead they fan out at the river. TSM again play the swap better, with Hauntzer staying in lane longer and eventually getting a 3 level lead on Seraph, who double jungled with Procxin. What are NV doing? Graves doesn’t need the help farming and if you don’t like Lucian’s range against Ashe and Karma, don’t pick Lucian and leave Seraph out to dry! Seraph continues to take bad trades and just can’t get a freeze going. This is so frustrating to watch.

At 22 minutes, TSM, having starved NV of the entire map with their solo lane control, get Baron with the NV duo lane grey-screened. NV continue to react well to TSM plays but it’s still TSM making all the plays. But going against better mechanical teams in C9 and TSM, NV show they have a lot of room to improve. They need to figure out how to play better around Seraph and Ninja and LOD and Hakuho (LOD especially) need to have more impact. You can’t prioritize Lucian and give Doublelift a lead on Ashe. TSM play a well-controlled, deliberate pace that they have become very good at. It’s clear that they are the best team in the league, and their ability to play different styles is nice separation between them and C9/IMT.