Adeluge (Day 193)

The first game of this week's North American LCS is Counter Logic Gaming vs. Cloud 9. CLG is finally achieving some consistency now that they have access to their starting jungler Dexter after having solved his Visa issues. Although they had mixed success with substitute players HotshotGG and Chauster, letting Link return to his home in the mid lane has certainly solidified their overall play. Cloud 9 has been doing very well, but their current place in the standings pales in comparison to their meteoric rise in the summer split, where they held an uncontested #1 position for the entire event.

This LCS split is proving that Cloud 9 is not the only competitive force in the North American scene. Team Solo Mid, revitalized by the pickup of their all-star European midlaner Bjergsen, is currently at the top of the charts, boasting wins against every other team currently in the LCS. Even underdogs Dignitas have taken a win off the Cloud 9 juggernauts. Today, CLG can add themselves to the short list of teams that have taken a game from them.

CLG's composition for their game today is similar to ones they've run before. The central champion in the team comp is Sivir, a champion that while universally considered good, is often passed on in favor of current favorites Lucian and Jinx. CLG took advantage of the champion by running a dive heavy comp with Shyvana, Vi, and Leona. Their mid lane pick was somewhat unorthodox but it synergized with the composition extremely well. Lulu was incredibly helpful in ensuring that dives succeded as CLG roamed as a team. While her damage did fall off, it didn't matter. Dexter build damage on Vi  after getting ahead, and Doublelift's Sivir and Nien's Shyvana were able to pick up any slack there might have been.

After forcing dive after dive after dive, CLG amassed a huge gold advantage and just continued to force fights. They baited baron and broke off once it was at 1/4th health to start a fight. They ambushed C9 at dragon and aced them. Their teamwork was about as good as I've ever seen from them. It's refreshing to see that all their asssurances that they'd have tighter teamplay once Dexter returned weren't empty words.

It's interesting to see C9 on the back foot, because it's not something you see very often. CLG seems to be becoming a team that really runs away from early game leads. Vayne has historically been banned away from Doublelift, but they might be better suited to ban Sivir. Although not a mechanically intensive champion, she snowballs fellow bruiser teammates to insane levels--and Doublelift certainly knows how to play her.