Cloud 9 just beat TSM in a 3-0 sweep in the NA LCS regional finals, securing their spot representing North America at Worlds 2018. This loss for TSM also means that for the first time since the beginning of competitive League of Legends, they will not be attending Worlds!
While Cloud 9 clearly demonstrated they were the better of the two, their victories were not very impressive from a gameplay perspective. Numerous mistakes were made by both teams and their decision-making/macro play seemed lackluster compared to other Worlds-level teams from other regions. Just a few days earlier, the LPL Final between RNG and Invictus Gaming was not only much more thrilling of a series, but both teams looked a lot more polished.
The Cloud 9 vs. TSM matches also featured a rather unconventional pick that is very unlikely to work against better teams – a top lane Hecarim. Traditionally a jungler, seeing Hecarim played top lane was one of the most bizarre picks of the tournament so far, and yet it somehow helped secure Cloud 9’s win against TSM in the 3rd round of the match.
With their win, Cloud 9 joins Team Liquid and 100 Thieves in representing NA at Worlds 2018. Hopefully the next time we see them, they’re able to further polish their skills and deliver the kind of top level performance we expect to see at Worlds.
For those of you who missed the match, here’s the whole 3-game series on YouTube.
Featured Image Source: Twitter
