Two weeks ago, the Shock uncharacteristically lost to both LA teams in the same weekend. This past weekend, the Shock came roaring back and stole their revenge against the Gladiators on primetime. They strayed from their questionable Zarya strategies and it payed dividends for San Fran. With Striker on Reaper and ANS and Rascal swapping onto Torbjorn, they were able to turn the tides nearly every time things got tight. Despite the best efforts from the Valiant’s KSP and KSF, the Shock took the victory 3-1.
The hero pools for the week exclude D.Va, Sombra, Reaper and Ana. This will be a defining factor for the meta, as well as roster selection.
Shock vs LA Gladiators (2-2)
Sunday April 12 at 8pm EST/5pm PST
Following their 3-1 win against the Shock two weeks ago, the Gladiators were trounced 3-0 the next day against the Seoul Dynasty. While show-matches are not the best indicators for success, the Shock did dominate Seoul using the new hero Echo. While they will not have access to her in this week’s matchup, they will have a new energy coming into the match. With a head of steam fresh from the win against the Valiant plus the hunger for revenge, the Shock should be a force to be reckoned with.
The Gladiators have been completely shaken since their upset against the Shock. Their two matches since then saw wildly different results. They faced the 3-0 defeat against Seoul and then followed it up with a 3-0 win against the Dallas Fuel.
Courtesy of Ben Pursell for Blizzard Entertainment
With D.Va out of the hero pool, the double-shield meta of the beginning of the season may see a return. Mei and McCree are both available, plus Lucio to speed the team around. Some teams may look to retain the Torbjorn to deny flankers. But Decay showed even that is not enough to deter the best Tracers. Playing ANS allows them to alternate between McCree and Torbjorn as necessary, but coach Crusty has the tools to mix-and-match the lineup and keep opponents guessing.
Two losses in one weekend seems to have been a wake-up call for the Shock, as they have come roaring back. Expect them to keep on the gas and prove they’re the best team in California. The Gladiators look a little unpredictable at the moment, but should also come into the match with a fervor. This will be a spectacular match to close the weekend.
Prediction: Shock win 3-1
Matchup to Watch: OGE vs Super
OGE is coming off several impressive performances for the Glads. Amped up by the win against his former team, the faceoff between these two main tanks will shape up beautifully. Each will have to navigate around Orisa barriers and Mei walls to gain the upper hand. Either OGE will settle down the ego of the kid from Philly, or Super will keep his self-professed title of “Best in the Business.”
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Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.
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