Keeping up with League of Legends – July 5, 2021

G2 goes for second 0-2 week in LEC

G2 Esports have gone for their second 0-2 week in a row for the first time since XX. After losing to Excel Esports convincingly, they nearly snapped their losing streak against Misfits. That is, until an ill-advised turret takedown threw them off Elder Drake contention, with the ensuing scramble adding to G2’s woes.

As for Excel Esports, their inclusions of Advienne and Markoon bore fruit almost instantly. Indeed, neither G2 Esports nor Team Vitality showed the needed coordination to fend them off. In the process, Nukeduck also played at his finest level in a long time, leveraging Markoon’s assistance into crucial roams.

As MAD Lions and Fnatic perform well, and as Misfits persist in their winning ways, the LEC summer’s race to the playoffs has intensified. So did Caps’s Recaps with Caps.

We’re #UnitedInRivalry and also in losing.

Wunder joins Caps to break down our second 0-2 week. Presented by @BMWEsports pic.twitter.com/YndUWwifPl

— G2 Esports (@G2esports) July 3, 2021

100 Thieves are cruising in the LCS, but…

The more things change, the more they stay the same: it is hard to make sense of the LCS. Here is a quick list of sins that LCS teams committed this weekend:

• TSM’s early-game composition played to outscale (and predictably failed) against Team Dignitas
• Immortals served power picks to TSM on a platter (Diana, Viego and Lee Sin? Say no more)
• Golden Guardians vs. Evil Geniuses was… a game, apparently
• How many times did 100T Closer pick Diana? Should that even be allowed?
• TSM picked so many objectives yet struggled to end a game somehow, some way.

Not all was bad; namely: 100 Thieves were good. But one has to wonder whether NA will be ready for Worlds in time, and who will represent them other than 100T and TSM. Speaking of TSM…

Playoffs secured, time to int

— TSM FTX Spica (@Spicalol) July 4, 2021

Gen.G has fallen in the LCK

Undefeated no more: Gen.G have stumbled for the first time in the 2021 summer split to DWG KIA. Indeed, after a few losses impacted the confidence of their AD Carry, Ghost, the squad attempted a myriad of swaps—before returning on Week 4. After a bo3 loss against Nongshim RedForce, they restabilized and powered through Gen.G.

In the meantime, T1 are in an unenviable position as they are narrowly in the playoff picture after their win in the Telecom War. Indeed, Afreeca Freecs, NS, and Liiv SANDBOX have beaten them this season, and they currently hold a tiebreaker advantage that T1 would be hard-pressed to recover. See rankings below:

1. Gen.G (7-1) (+7)
2. DWG KIA (5-3) (+4)
3. Liiv SANDBOX (5-3) (+3)
4. Nongshim RedForce (5-3) (+2)
5. Afreeca Freecs (5-3) (+2)
6. T1 (4-4) (+1)
7. KT Rolster (3-5) (+1)
8. Fredit BRION (3-5) (-2)
9. Hanwha Life Esports (3-5) (-5)
10. DRX (0-8) (-13)

And there were no undefeated teams in the LPL either

The LPL’s fourth week of action spelled the end of undefeated streaks, as EDward Gaming and LNG Esports fell in their final matches of the week. As Rare Atom continue to rise since kkOma’s arrival in 2020 (and departure before 2021), they have anchored themselves near the top.

The same cannot be said about Royal Never Give Up, who have struggled since their return from MSI. However, one can rightfully attribute those losses to a punishing schedule including five playoff teams, with their defeats against Rogue Warriors and Suning being rather close (1-2).

As for TOP Esports, their awakening in Week 4 left ashes and a few Dr. Mundo suitcases on their wake, as they used the pick to fend then-undefeated EDward Gaming off. With Karsa showing strong gameplay on Diana, the team has put some of its defeats behind. Literally.

JackeyLove et Qingtian en route vers le 2-0. #LPL pic.twitter.com/ePiDeBu0i7

— O’Gaming LoL (@OGTVLoL) July 4, 2021

Other LoL related news:

• The trend of struggling MSI participants has extended to Japan as DetonatioN FocusMe surprisingly struggled in their first two weeks of action. However, as is the case with MAD Lions, they are bouncing back with a vengeance with two wins in Week 3. The team is currently in the middle of the LJL standings and, unlike T1 in the LCK, its playoff prospects look bright.
• Warning: do not force Pabu to use a green Chroma key. His hair will scream PENTANET if you do.
  

  branding king https://t.co/sfIFvS4715

  — Jackson Pavone (@Pabu22) June 30, 2021

• Sjokz has drawn aggro from Italian football fans following a TikTok that made pasta fans die inside. Visibly, some people did not get the memo, that banter is banter, but they might have been reeling from seeing mayonnaise on top of pasta. Allow me to inflict that pain by reminding you what was done:
  

  YOUR MOVE ITALY 🇮🇹🇧🇪🌝#EURO2020 #BELITA pic.twitter.com/4Q3NfMBQvc

  — Eefje Depoortere (@sjokz) July 2, 2021