League of Legends: TL v. TSM is Brayzy’s Series of the Week

The 2019 LCS Spring Split has been jam-packed with competitive League of Legends action. After 11 long weeks, the spring finals are finally upon us, featuring Team Liquid and Team SoloMid.

Both teams have fought hard to get this far, but TSM seems to have the mental advantage over TL. TSM managed to go 2-0 against the first seed Team Liquid, where their first victory happened to end TL’s seven-game winning streak. This definitely stuck with the members of Team Liquid, as they chose to play FlyQuest in the second round of the playoffs rather than TSM. Nonetheless, each team is loaded with talent which should make this one of the best series of the spring playoffs.

TSM Controls the Momentum

Team SoloMid closed out the Spring Split with an 11-1 run, giving them the third place spot. This came after stumbling out of the gates by going 2-4, however their upset victory over Team Liquid in week four was a huge turning point. That win not only ended TL’s winning streak, but it also sent a message to the rest of the league that TSM was ready to compete with anyone.

TSM Bjergsen gives the camera a big smile. (Image Courtesy of LoL Esports Flickr)

They were able to keep the train rolling into the playoffs as they dominated EchoFox in the first round. It seemed that the mid lane was the focal point for both teams, as the laner with the better score won every match. However, TSM has a lot more talent and experience on their roster, so they were able to take a rather easy series-win.

The same can be said about their come-from-behind victory over Cloud9 the following week. TSM fell behind in the series by starting 0-2, but Søren ‘Bjergsen’ Bjerg was able to pull his team from the ashes. In their next three matches, Bjergsen put up a staggering scoreline of 15/0/23. His skill set is second to none in North America and he was the ‘X factor’ in that series.

Team MVP: Søren Bjerg

Bjergsen has proven his worth so far this season by leading his team through thick and thin. It seems that he has seventh gear to shift into when his team needs him most, and he typically delivers. His regular season K/D/A of 5.84 was consistent all season long, as well as his champion pool. Bjergsen is known for his Zilean play and he had a 100% win-rate on the champion through two matches. This translated well in the first two rounds of the playoffs, as Bjergsen totaled a K/D/A of 20 in his next two matches on Zilean. His raw talent and knowledge of the game makes him one of the bigger factors in TSM’s success.

The Underrated One-Seed

Doublelift and CoreJJ sharing some love. (Image Courtesy of LoL Esports Flickr)

It feels like Team Liquid hasn’t been getting enough credit this season. At the end of the spring split, TL was tied with Cloud9 for the best record in the LCS at 14-4. Of course, their sweep of Cloud9 during the regular season gave them the tiebreaker advantage. However, TL’s 0-2 record against TSM seems to be lingering in everyone’s head.

It’s fair to judge a team on performance, but Team Liquid has a chance to silence the haters once and for all this weekend. Despite their losses to TSM, TL has the best resume in the LCS. A 2-0 regular season sweep of Cloud9 certainly puts them in top company. They were also able to go undefeated against non-playoff teams, a feat no one else in North America could accomplish.

On top of their resume, Team Liquid also possesses the most-competent bot-lane duo in the LCS. Their dominance has been one of the biggest focal points of this Team Liquid squad, as they typically control the outcome of each match.

TL’s Dynamic Duo: Yiliang Peng and Jo Yong-In

There hasn’t been a bot-lane duo that’s created a bigger impact than Doublelift and CoreJJ. The two have been simply magical so far this season and it’s carried over into the spring playoffs. Doublelift has improved on his K/D/A of 7.43 from the regular season, as he’s totaled a 9 K/D/A through three playoff matches. The same can be said for CoreJJ, as he’s more than doubled his regular season K/D/A of 6.07 in the playoffs.

Both members have a lot of chemistry with each other and it’s been evident in their play so far. This will be a big factor in their upcoming series against TSM. If Team Liquid can establish an advantage for their bot-lane duo, they will have an easier road ahead. However, TSM’s roam-heavy composition should keep the teams fairly even.

Featured Image Courtesy of LoL Esports.

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