The lower bracket of the LCS Summer 2022 Playoffs begins with FlyQuest as the six seed and TSM as the seventh. Both teams have had very different paths to this point. FlyQuest had a bit of an up-and-down season, while TSM struggled to find a consistent roster. There is no doubt that both teams believe they can take this one, but who will come out on top in the TSM vs FlyQuest 2022 Summer Playoff matchup?
** All stats from Oracles Elixir and LoL Fandom **
[Related: Free Parking: The LCS’ Struggle to Incentivize the Bottom of the Pack]
FlyQuest
Regular Season Record: 10-8 6th Seed
Record Against TSM in 2022: 3-1
Lost to Team Liquid 3-1 in Upper Bracket
Top: Philip
- 2.2 KDA
- Gold Difference at 10: +102
- CS per Minute: 8.2
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Aatrox (6 Games Including Playoffs)
- 2-4
- 1.5 KDA
- Gwen (4 Games)
- 3-1
- 2.54 KDA
- Sejuani (3 Games)
- 2-1
- 3.4 KDA
Jng: Josedeodo
- 3.3 KDA
- Gold Difference at 10: +103
- Kill Participation: 67.1%
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Wukong (6 Games Including Playoffs)
- 1-5
- 1.36 KDA
- Lee Sin (4 Games)
- 3-1
- 5.29 KDA
- Viego (3 Games)
- 3-1
- 5.25 KDA
Mid: Toucouille
- 5.2 KDA
- Gold Difference at 10: -4
- 2nd in Least Deaths in Mid: 26
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Ahri (6 Games)
- 4-2
- 5 KDA
- LeBlanc (5 Games)
- 2-3
- 2.87 KDA
- Azir (4 Games Including Playoffs)
- 2-2
- 4.7 KDA
Bot: Johnsun
- 3.4 KDA
- Gold Difference at 10: +71
- 3rd in Kills for Bot: 80
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Sivir (5 Games Including Playoffs)
- 2-3
- 4.08 KDA
- Jinx (4 Games)
- 3-1
- 6.75 KDA
- Twitch (4 Games)
- 1-3
- 1.94 KDA
Sup: aphromoo
- 3.5 KDA
- XP Difference at 10: +24
- Kill Participation: 71.4%
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Tahm Kench (3 Games)
- 3-0
- 7.33 KDA
- Lulu (3 Games)
- 2-1
- 2.75 KDA
- Nami (3 Games Including Playoffs)
- 2-1
- 6 KDA
TSM
Regular Season Record: 6-12 7th Seed
Record Against FlyQuest in 2022: 1-3
Top: Solo
- 2.7 KDA
- XP Difference at 10: +174
- CS per Minute: 8
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Ornn (6 Games Including Academy)
- 4-2
- 4.22 KDA
- Gnar (2 Games Including Academy)
- 1-1
- 3.67 KDA
- Sejuani (2 Games Including Academy)
- 1-1
- 3.375 KDA
Jng: Spica
- 2.9 KDA
- Kill Participation: 77.7%
- Tied for 2nd in Kills for Jng: 50
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Viego (6 games)
- 2-4
- 2.88 KDA
- Wukong (2 Games)
- 2-0
- 5.6 KDA
- Xin Zhao (2 Games)
- 2-0
- 26 KDA
Mid: Maple
- 2.8 KDA
- Gold Difference at 10: -31
- CS Per Minute: 9
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Azir (6 Games)
- 2-4
- 2.93 KDA
- Swain (2 Games)
- 1-1
- 7.5 KDA
- Ahri (2 Games)
- 1-1
- 2.71 KDA
Bot: Instinct
- 3.5 KDA
- Gold Difference at 10: -335
- 1st in Kill Participation for Bot: 75.2%
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Sivir (4 Games)
- 2-2
- 5.75 KDA
- Zeri (6 Games Including Academy)
- 1-5
- 4.56 KDA
- Ezreal (6 Games All in Academy)
- 1-5
- 2.25 KDA
Sup: Chime
- 3.5 KDA
- XP Difference at 10: -111
- 1st in Kill Participation for Sup: 80.3%
Top Champions (Summer Split)
- Rakan (4 Games Including Academy)
- 2-2
- 8 KDA
- Yuumi (4 Games all Academy)
- 3-1
- 9.2 KDA
- Bard (4 Games Including Academy)
- 1-3
- 2.8 KDA
Analysis and Prediction
Both teams have very clear weaknesses. For FlyQuest their late game has struggled while Philip is able to be taken advantage of. For TSM their bot lane is in a similar position as Philip and they have also struggled with their drafts in a major way. When they win, FlyQuest and TSM are winning the game early and then having to transition their leads.
FlyQuest will look to target Instinct and take him out in teamfights. This has not been a tall task for opponents as he has been out of position often in fights. They will want Josedeodo on a champion that can not only get to him but knock him down. Look for FlyQuest to prioritize a pick like Vi, especially early on as they showed they could play through it in their one win against Team Liquid.
TSM will want to put Philip as behind as possible. This should even be the case when Solo is not on a carry. To ensure that this strategy works they will want to take a page out of Team Liquid’s book. Banning out Johnsun or at least taking away champs of comfort and the Yuumi and Lulu will be crucial. With TSM being able to shutdown sidelanes, they will hope that Maple can contain Toucouille to some degree.
X-Factors
The biggest x-factor for FlyQuest will be to get Toucouille in a position to carry the game. He is very clearly their best player and should be the one they play through. If he is able to roam and have an impact on the map then FlyQuest have a much better chance of winning. It will allow for them to have influence in either side lane potentially ruining TSM’s strategy.
TSM on the other hand will want to make sure that their best player, Spica, is given every opportunity to carry this series. He may go a bit too hard at times but overall, he seems to be able to flow well if the team follows up on plays with him. Spica will want high-impact junglers like Wukong and Xin Zhao or even the Vi that was seen in the first weekend of playoffs. All of these picks will allow for Spica to dive into the backline while his team takes care of the rest.
Final Prediction
This series will be much closer than either team will want to admit. Or at least, it should. Both teams will have to adapt as the series progresses. If one team slips up too badly in draft, especially early in the series, then that could determine everything.
TSM have had a full extra week to watch and prepare. Normally for a team hitting their stride, this would be a bad thing. For TSM though, this extra week will have been crucial. They have had a lot less time played together and have surely valued the time to come together.
As stated before this series will be close. Ultimately TSM will come out top due to Solo and Maple’s experience and ability to at least stabilize the solo lanes. All the while, Spica will make just enough big plays, with at least one major objective steal, to propel TSM into the second round of the losers bracket.
Prediction: TSM Win 3-2
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