The Shock only played one game this week, and it didn’t really go in San Francisco’s favor. It’s hard to judge a team based on its performance in one single game, especially when one considers that the team was trying out a new Zenyatta player. That being said, this week was definitely a step backwards for the Shock.
Vancouver Titans (3-0)
Well…this wasn’t great. The game was actually closer than the 3-1 score would have you believe, and the Shock actually looked decent aside from an abysmal showing on Volskaya. Vancouver just…played better, and complemented their victory with a couple of insane ultimate combos to clean house. This wasn’t the worst game the Shock have had, but it wasn’t one to remember either.
Player of the Game: Hyeon-woo “Jjanu” Choi
This game was similar to the Gladiator game of last week, as no one on the Shock really stood out. No one was particularly bad, but there wasn’t a whole lot of great play either. Jjanu, on the other hand, was absolutely brilliant. He may be new to the league but Jjanu has already cemented himself as one of the best off tank players in the Overwatch League. He is an absolute force on D.Va, and he has unmatched synergy with the rest of his team. His synergy with Sang-beon “Bumper” Park is truly something to behold, and his game sense and awareness is legendary. Everyone knew that Jjanu was good going into the season, but not many people realized that he was this good. Other teams in the league better watch out, because Jjanu is definitely the real deal.
Week Three Preview
Hangzhou Spark (2-2)
Losses to two struggling teams in the Outlaws and the Spitfire wasn’t exactly encouraging for the Pink Pulverizers, but make no mistake, this team is still really scary. Packing in known stars from both Korea and China has the Spark in a position to make a run for the playoffs. Of course, they aren’t a perfect team, and the losses last week exemplify this. But the Shock will need to be careful if they are to take home a victory against this tough as nails team. This will probably come down to whether Min-ki “Viol2t” Park can improve over his middling debut performance. The Shock have a good chance here if he can really bring his raw skill to this game
Shock Win 3-2
Washington Justice (0-2)
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum we have the Justice. This is a team that was largely thought to be incredibly weak going into the season. They haven’t exactly been good, but they haven’t been quite as bad as many thought they would be. Of course, they are still a below average team, and the Shock should put them away. But underestimating an opponent has brought on many upsets in every sport, not just the Overwatch League. A loss here would be incredibly demoralizing, but the Shock should be good to go here as long as they don’t fall off a cliff when it comes to their performance.
Shock Win 4-0
Player to Watch: Min-ki “Viol2t” Park
Viol2t had a lot of hype coming into his debut. He then proceeded to not stand out at all as the Shock lost to the Titans. Viol2t definitely wasn’t the reason that the Shock lost, but he didn’t live up to the massive expectations. He didn’t look any better than Nikola “Sleepy” Andrews, the Shock’s other Zen player. Fortunately, one’s first game with a new team is not always indicative of their long term success with said team. Viol2t returning to form could turn the Shock into one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team in the league. This will be an interesting test for him, and time will tell if Viol2t really picks up the slack.
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Featured Image Courtesy of The San Francisco Shock
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