The two most successful teams in the history of the LCS will meet in the Summer Split Semifinals this weekend. Team SoloMid have won the LCS six times in their history, while Team Liquid claimed the league four straight times in 2018 and 2019. Both teams are on their way to the League of Legends World Championship later this month, but only one will face FlyQuest for the LCS Summer Split title.
League of Legends 2020 LCS Summer Split Semifinals Betting Odds
Team Liquid -192
Team SoloMid +142
Liquid knocked off TSM both times they met in the regular season, as Tactical outplayed Doublelift in the bottom lane. That will be the main storyline coming into this game as Doublelift was on Liquid’s four title teams before being traded to TSM before the start of the Summer Split.
In the top lane, you know what you’re getting from Impact. He is a consistent top laner that can’t take over a game like he could a few years ago, but he is probably the best tank in the region. His Ornn is rightfully respected, and he has also played a lot of Mordekaiser and Shen this split. Broken Blade is more of a coinflip player, and he is more likely to try to win his matchup in the laning phase. In addition to playing Ornn and Shen, we have seen Broken Blade on Lucian, Renekton, Gangplank, Jayce, Vladimir, and Camille in the playoffs, While he might be able to get the edge in one game, Impact is the more reliable bet.
The biggest disadvantage in this series lies in the jungle. Broxah dominated Spica during the regular season, and he has been instrumental to Liquid’s turnaround in the Summer Split. The former Fnatic jungler has a 4.6 KDA in the playoffs per Games of Legends, and he has shown a proficiency on relatively new meta junglers like Volibear and Hecarim. Spica has improved in the postseason, but he is still well short of his counterpart in terms of mechanics. Spica’s Nidalee has been good though, so Liquid will need to be wary of the pick.
Danish mid laners have ruled the LCS for some time, and that continues to be the case as TSM’s Bjergsen and Liquid’s Jensen are two of the best in the league. The rivalry between these two stretches back for years, since Jensen was a member of Cloud9, and they are very familiar with one another.
Bjergsen has the mechanical edge, and he has typically had the better of Jensen. His Twisted Fate and Orianna have been great, and he always keeps Zilean in his back pocket for special occasions. As for Jensen, his Kog’maw fell flat, but he has been sharp on Azir and LeBlanc in the playoffs. He proved that he can play Zilean effectively too, making for a potentially interesting showdown.
Liquid’s other big edge is in support. CoreJJ is a former world champion and one of the best in the region, while TSM have juggled Biofrost and Treatz throughout the playoffs. The veteran Biofrost is likely to get the start in this series, but his reliance on a champion like Rakan is worrying given the counters available. CoreJJ has far more pick potential on champions like Bard and Lux.
Doublelift is the greatest bottom laner in the history of the LCS, but he is no longer the player he was in the past. He has been better in the playoffs as champions like Ashe and Caitlyn are prioritized again, and he did show that he can effectively play Senna. However, Tactical has been far more clean with his play. That gives the young up and comer the edge here.
Prediction
While Bjergsen must be feared, Liquid are the clear choice to win this series. They have the edge in too many areas, so they are the pick to win 3-1.
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