NA LCS Power Rankings Week 2
This rudderless edition of the NA LCS Summer Split was supposed to find its bearings entering Week 2, but I feel more lost now than before it began. Four teams sit atop the league with 3-1 records, and none of them finished in the Top 4 last split. Three teams started substitute junglers, with varied results. The longest and shortest games of the young split took place in the same series, one after the other. Bjersen tried playing Galio mid again, and I bet you can guess how that went.
There’s a sense that the meta is solidifying. Kennen and Fiora have stripped top lane from the tanks. Playmaking support picks are being saved until the end of drafting. Blitzcrank has made his way from Korea to Los Angeles to the bot lane. Teams are finalizing their tier lists just in time for 7.12 to shake things up again.
Doran’s Shield will soon be nerfed, and supports will gain more build options than Sightstone>Redemption>Locket, but until that happy day let’s look back at the week that was. Here’s my updated Totally Unscientific Yet Completely Defensible and Correct NA LCS Power Rankings: Week 2.
Apologies on the lateness, I was traveling all weekend and missed most of the games. Now that I’m all caught up, we can continue. And oh, if you’re on Red Side…could you ban Zac for me? Thanks!
1. Counter Logic Gaming (3-1, 7-4) (Even)
Tough call for the top spot this week with both Counter Logic Gaming and Team SoloMid arguably worthy. CLG has had the better performances (and record) than TSM, but TSM closed out Week 2 by beating CLG in three games. The revival of North America’s bitterest rivalry was the best series of Summer Split so far, with strong showings from both teams decided by a climactic Game 3 nexus push by CLG that came up seconds short.
Dardoch flexed his skills this week—his use of Rengar to counter Ivern was spectacular—but the real strength of CLG lies in the bot lane. Stixxay and Aphromoo have impressed as one of the best bottom duos of Summer Split, and the numbers back it up. Stixxay has the highest KDA (7.4) of all players by a significant margin (Ssumday is second with 5.9), and Aphromoo is second in the league among supports averaging 9.3 assists per game. That CLG ranks first in the league in securing First Blood (73%) is in no small part the result of this duo’s excellence in the early game.
If CLG can find as much success with their solo lanes as they do bottom, I don’t see them surrendering pole position soon. With stumbling FlyQuest and Phoenix 1 on the schedule, Week 3 should be a cakewalk.
2. Team SoloMid (2-2, 5-5) (+1)
Mercurial TSM split their Week 2 series, losing to a resurgent Team Dignitas but then besting rivals CLG. Problems in the jungle still hinder this team, but when Svenskeren is on, as he was in Game 2 versus CLG, TSM look like world-beaters. Doublelift and Biofrost have clearly rekindled their old fire, smashing bot lane every time they enter the Rift.
There’s a fan debate swirling about the efficacy of putting Bjergsen, arguably NA’s best player, on supportive mids like Galio or Karma rather than more playmaking champs (Taliyah, Syndra, Ahri, Orianna, etc.). I don’t think there’s much of question here: TSM is 0-4 with Bjergsen on Galio/Karma and 4-1 when he plays Taliyah (they won his lone game on Syndra too). His lone Taliyah loss came in Game 1 versus Dignitas this week, and that was more a case of Shrimp playing out of his mind than Bjergsen’s mistakes. Memo to Regi: Let Bjersen Eat.
I have no doubt that TSM will be contending for a title come September. What we’re seeing right now is a team adapting to new strategies and figuring out how best to exploit their lane advantages. Look to Sunday’s series with Team EnVyUs to see how close they are.
3. Cloud 9 (2-2, 5-4) (+1)
No one should be surprised that Cloud 9 rebounded with a 2-0 week after losing both of their Week 1 series. What is surprising is the way they went about it.
Both of C9’s results this week were 2-0 sweeps, but they couldn’t have been more different. Phoenix 1 is begging to be stomped at this point, and C9 happily obliged them, turning in the first mostly-perfect game of the split (P1 did get the Rift Herald). Game 2 was a little dicey at points, but a smooth outplay from Ray on the split-pushing Zig opened up Baron for C9 and the eventual deathball push. C9 did not lose a lane in either game, and mostly looked like themselves again.
That all changed against Echo Fox and probably the most misleading result of the split. Cloud 9 won this series 2-0 thanks to macro throws big and small by their opponents, who led by at least 3K gold in both games (7K in Game 1). Hell, Echo Fox was up 9-1 in Game 2 before a catastrophic Baron call cost them everything. Give C9 some credit, Game 1’s epic comeback wouldn’t have been possible if C9 hadn’t farmed well or been able to exploit Echo Fox’s weak 1-3-1. Jensen outplayed Froggen in nearly every notable category (KDA, CSM, Damage) which is something you can rarely say about Echo Fox’s carry mid.
Cloud 9 shouldn’t feel as confident as most teams would coming out of a 4-0 week, but the elements that make them great—superior laners and shotcalling—are still there. Immortals and Flyquest will be decent Week 3 tests, but I fully expect another 2-0 week from a team on the upswing.
4. Team Dignitas (3-1, 7-4) (+2)
One of these days, I’m going to buy a ticket to see some NA LCS games in person, and when I do, you can bet I’ll bring a homemade sign that reads, “DON’T GIVE SSUMDAY FIORA” with me because My. God. The kid can DUEL.
Ssumday is 3-0 and 15-2-10 on Fiora this split, with numbers that far outstrip any other player on the champion worldwide. Once he gets three items, the game is essentially over. And yet knowing this, teams have banned Fiora against Dig only four times out of 11 games. That has to change, and if it takes a sign in the stands, I will bear that cross.
Dignitas looks their most explosive with Ssumday on carry top laners like Fiora or even Lucian, but teams will be increasingly unlikely to allow that composition. Shrimp was excellent against TSM, stealing every objective he could get his hands on. Is there a competition for starting jungler now?
The series loss to Team Liquid was a worrying way to end what has been an exciting start to the split, but I’d still give Dignitas the edge in a replay. Subbing in Chaser for the deciding Game 3 of that series was a bit head-scratching, but considering Dignitas had been undefeated with him up to that point, you couldn’t fault the choice in the moment.
This team has the look of a playoff contender, and should be 4-0 if it weren’t for their lackluster Liquid series. Week 3 matchups with Phoenix 1 and Echo Fox will help them retain their spot atop the NA LCS.
5. Team EnVyUs (3-1, 7-4) (+2)
The most surprising team of Summer Split continues to impress the doubters that watched them flounder throughout Spring. Team EnVyUs spent most of last split losing three-game series; they’re 2-1 in Game 3s so far.
Credit mid laner Pirean for the spike in Envy’s success. The former Phoenix 1 bench warmer turned placeholder for Nisqy might not give up his starting role, averaging the highest KDA (5.6) among mid laners this split. On the flip side, he has the highest First Blood victim percentage (36.4%) of all starters, which needs to be addressed.
Lira was his high-mechanical self, but played poorly against Team Liquid, accounting for 40% of the team’s deaths. That Envy ultimately beat Liquid speaks to how far this team has come from last split, when they were completely reliant on Lira to succeed. Apollo and Hakuho have formed a formidable bot duo, with Hakuho averaging 1.7 deaths per game, first among supports. You can see the team’s macro improving, especially in the objective trades they made against Immortals.
Still, Envy hasn’t played anyone yet. They’ve beaten Liquid and Phoenix 1, swept Immortals who were perhaps overrated after Week 1 (more on that below), and lost to Dignitas. We’ll know more about this team when they play TSM on Sunday.
6. Immortals (3-1, 6-4) (-4)
Falling furthest in the Power Rankings are Immortals, a team that looked like champions one week and challengers the next. Everyone got justifiably excited after a Week 1 sweep of TSM, but since then Immortals have struggled versus lesser competition.
Against FlyQuest, Immortals found themselves down 7K gold in the mid game before a series of picks and a questionable nexus TP play cost FlyQuest their momentum and later the match. FlyQuest won Game 2 and again led by 4K in Game 3 before Xmithie’s Zac started punishing overextensions and turning fights. This series could have easily been a 2-0 sweep for FlyQuest if not for their own mistakes.
Team EnVyUs made few mistakes against Immortals and justifiably swept them, with Flame unable to keep anyone off his back line. After a week in which they looked best in role, Flame and Pobelter noticeably regressed, a bad sign for Immortals' playoff chances. Still, it’s early in the season, Immortals are tied for the best series record in North America, and if they can rebound against Liquid and Cloud 9 this week, maybe Week 2 was an aberration?
7. Echo Fox (2-2, 5-4) (-2)
To prove Echo Fox is a “10-man team,” Grig was subbed in as jungler for Akaadian this week, and the results speak for themselves. Echo Fox went 4-0 in Week 1 and went 1-4 in Week 2. Here are some stats:
Akaadian (4 Games): 4.1 KDA, 355 GPM, 13.1% DMG, +397 GD@15
Grig (5 Games): 1.6 KDA, 334 GPM, 11.1% DMG, +195 GD@15
I’m not suggesting that Grig was the reason Echo Fox lost four out of five games this week, the blame for that lies across the team. And it’s true that Echo Fox played a much tougher schedule this week (CLG/C9) than last week (FlyQuest/Liquid). But this decision to bench Akaadian—mutual though it seems—during a week Echo Fox could measure themselves against top-flight opposition is is bizarre.
It’ll be an ongoing question this season where Echo Fox’s priorities lie, winning or securing a place in LCS next year. Their Meme Stream Dream Team is winless and looks terrible, but Delta Fox’s series against Big Gods Jackals drew nearly 70,000 viewers on Twitch yesterday. Will the growth of the brand, coupled with establishing a deep, marketable first team roster trump winning? I still have no idea how good Echo Fox is, and it doesn’t seem like they care to find out.
8. FlyQuest eSports (1-3, 3-6) (+1)
Week 2 was a step forward for FlyQuest, securing their first series win Sunday over a slumping Phoenix 1 and playing above expectations in a hard-fought loss to Immortals. LemonNation and WildTurtle are growing into their bot lane partnership, but the rest of the team finds itself too often behind after the early game to win consistently.
Despite his experienced shotcalling, Hai is tied for last among mid laners with 8 CSM and finds himself on average -6 CSD@15. Flyquest have tried him out on six different champions over nine games, and only Orianna has had repeated success. Balls and Moon are average at best in their positions, requiring Turtle and Lemon to stomp lane for the team to have a chance.
We’ll see if Flyquest can build off Week 2 when they face CLG and Cloud 9, two of NA’s top teams rounding into form. A split this weekend—or even two competitive three-game series—would be a victory in my book.
9. Team Liquid (1-3, 3-7) (+1)
There was nowhere to go but up for Team Liquid, winning their first series of the split and generally looking more put-together as an organization. The experimental Slooshi phase seems to have run its course with Goldenglue returning in standout Galio and Taliyah performances. Given comfort champions like Olaf or Rengar, Reignover makes a half-decent jungler, and Piglet more than backed up his talk after putting his teammates on front street the week before.
Teamfight coordination still looks slapdash, the macro need work and Lourlo is getting outlanned in nearly every game, but honestly after such a horrendous Week 1 any instance of positive play would be a marked step forward. There’s still a long road ahead of Liquid to escape the basement, and though we all know Steve has his checkbook ready, I don’t see Liquid being competitive this split even with reinforcements. Weekend dates with TSM and Immortals will likely not help their record, but we could be in for an upset if Immortals continue to underwhelm.
10. Phoenix 1 (0-4, 2-8) (-2)
Ladies and Gentlemen, your North American representative for Rift Rivals 2017! Well, one of them at least.
Phoenix 1 took a necessary step today by announcing the acquisition of Xspecial to replace Shady as support, which—while necessary—is incredibly damning at an organizational level. P1 management was so convinced they had the right bot lane pairing with Arrow and Shady that they let both Adrian and Stunt walk during the mid-season break. Now they’re benching their hand-picked support in favor of a veteran sub? Ditto the Inori/Meteos situation, where P1 had an entire split to pick their preferred jungler and now seemingly reversed that decision too.
Sure, it was fun to see Meteos try out the new Rek’Sai when Elise/Graves/Lee Sin/Kha’Zix were available, or to watch a triple-marksman draft—including a freaking Urgot for Zig—crash and burn, but this team was the third-place finisher in Spring. We expect more than memes.
Maybe the support switch is exactly what P1 needs, because God knows this team isn’t winning anything if Arrow—THE MVP OF SPRING 2017—continues to struggle. Maybe Meteos will start practicing League again instead of streaming hours of WoW. Maybe Ryu can rediscover the game-breaking form he had in playoffs. Maybe, maybe, maybe. P1 face Dignitas and CLG this weekend, and even with Xspecial (who won’t play in the Dignitas series, being their former sub) I think they’ll enter Week 4 still searching for their first series win.