The San Francisco Shock ended Stage 3 at a record of 5-2. With some shocking upset losses keeping them from a better overall record, they enter the Stage 3 Playoffs as the #4 seed. This will pit them for a first-day matchup against the Seoul Dynasty and will mean that they will likely face a highly seeded team in their second day of matches. In short, it’s going to be a tough road for the Shock.
The Shock had an up and down Stage 3 in comparison to the standard they set for themselves in Stage 2. They were taken to a map 5 by the Reign and were defeated by both the Outlaws and the Hunters, also both in map 5’s. In each of these games, the Shock struggled to adapt to unorthodox styles of play, seeming more rigid than they have looked previously.
On the bright side, they did manage to pull off some commanding victories as well. The Shock swept both the Spitfire and the Dynasty this stage, along with the Uprising and Mayhem. These victories showed that the Shock can still come out and absolutely dominate an opponent on any given day. And, fortunate for them, one of these opponents will be meeting them in their debut match of the Stage 3 Playoffs.
As mentioned, the last time these two teams met, it went heavily in the Shock’s favor. Of all the playoff teams, the Dynasty arguably look the weakest heading into the first day of matches. They’ve lost their star main tank and have struggled to figure out how to utilize their loaded roster. This gives ample opportunity for the Shock to continue their dominance and move into the second day of matches.
Stage 3 Playoffs bracket from r/Competitiveoverwatch
If the Shock win, they will likely face the NYXL, pending no huge upsets. If one of the major teams are toppled, they would likely face the Titans or the Spark, depending on which team were to lose. In any case, these three teams present much scarier possibilities than the Dynasty does. New York has had a perfect stage in terms of map wins, much due to their Sombra play. If they can correct their past playoff chokes, the Shock will be in for a tough matchup on the second day of action. Yet, because there is no guarantee who they will face, not much more can be said.
Photo: Stewart Volland for Blizzard Entertainment
With the everpresent fear of being hacked, stunned or hooked, super is going to need to have eyes on the back of his shield in this stage playoff. The Shock will need to be on the same page in each teamfight against their opponents to prevent pickoffs or super being hacked and losing his shield. A lot of this revolves around team communication but much of it does, inevitably, fall on super’s shoulders.
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Featured Image Courtesy of Stewart Volland for Blizzard Entertainment
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