The Shock have not let their foot off the gas since their initial two losses early in the season. After cruising to victory in the May Melee, they dominated the new-look Paris Eternal as well as the crumbling Washington Justice. This upcoming weekend they will face their biggest test so far, squaring up against the top team in the Atlantic Conference. Outside of the May Melee, neither team has lost since March, but only one can claim that after this weekend comes to a close.
With no hero pools this week, each team gets access to what they can play best. Expect to see substitutions between maps to play into this, with both sides having numerous weapons to choose from.
Shock (13-2) vs Philadelphia Fusion (15-1)
Sunday June 28 7:00 P.M. EST / 4:00 P.M. PST
The Philadelphia Fusion have been strong since the start of the season. They have seen victory in dominant fashion week-in and week-out. They seemed set to square off against the Shock in the May Melee until Florida showed they have something to prove. Since this defeat, they have had an easy road back into competition, steamrolling over the Houston Outlaws and Boston Uprising. Now fans get to finally see the clash of titans that has been anticipated the whole season.
The Fusion have an incredibly talented roster, with several in the conversation for MVP and Rookie of the Year. Their all-star Jae-hyeok “Carpe” Lee has effectively won maps by himself this season. He can turn the tide of battle at any moment, and is back in prime form. Main tank Su-min “SADO” Kim has faced scrutiny over the years, but should the meta allow Reinhardt the duel between him and Matthew “Super” DeLisi will be legendary. Holding it down on the support line is Kyung-bo “Alarm” Kim, a top rookie in the league.
The Shock may have lost their league MVP in Jay “Sinatraa” Won, but they still have Finals MVP Hyo-bin “Choihyobin” Choi. Each team has all the pieces they need to take the victory. This will be a match for the ages and is definitely the match to watch this weekend.
Prediction: Shock win 3-2
Matchup to Watch: Carpe vs ANS
Since role lock has let DPS players play DPS heroes this season, Carpe has been back with a vengeance. One of the most talented players in the league, his name alone strikes fear into fans of his opponents. He has already proven his place as a top dog in the league, and is a frontrunner in the MVP conversation. His Widowmaker has single-handedly saved and won fights for the team, and will continue to do so if allowed this weekend.
In the other corner is the 2020 rookie Seon-chang “ANS” Lee. His mechanical ability on hitscan heroes has made quick work of other teams. He has even edged out Nam-joo “Striker” Kwon at times. There is a high likelihood of a Widow duel at some point in this match with much on the line. Does Carpe have it in him to defend his top-dog status, or will ANS usurp the position?
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Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.
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