The North American League Championship Series was jam-packed with narratives last weekend. It's no surprise given the state of every North American team and the amount of surprises the split provided. From Immortals' near immortal run, the defending North American champions Counter Logic Gaming's successfully reconstructed lineup, Team SoloMid's lofty expectations to succeed, and the upstarts of the fresh Team Liquid, it was a toss-up which team would advance to the finals.
Any result would be a must-watch -- Doublelift's TSM against Aphromoo's CLG or the crowning of new elite in Team Immortal or Team Liquid.
Counter Logic Gaming against Team Liquid
The defending North American champions, CLG, took on the team with arguably the most turnover in the split, Team Liquid. A slow start, roster swaps, and an inconsistent strategy burned Team Liquid early in the split, but they came into the playoffs with their confidence at an all-time high. Despite the stigma of being one-dimensional (split-push or bust), CLG was consistently in championship form to counter the team-fighting emphasis with their excellent rotations.
This series was a battle of quick adjustments. The playbook for CLG is obvious: split-push, fast rotations, and strong isolation in fights. For Team Liquid to succeed in its game plan, the team needed to force fights, group up often, and deny the greedy over-extension that would eventually come. Game one was a signature Team Liquid team fight victory. It was through Chae "Piglet" Gwang-jin and a beautiful defensive effort at the dragon that ultimately sealed the game. CLG adjusted and drafted mobility in the next match to stomp through the midgame with rotation-after-rotation. It wasn't until the fifth game, where both teams ran out of tricks, that it came down to execution and clutch. That was the game to watch and arguably marked one of the best North American LCS games, period. Between Baron pit holds from CLG, a ridiculous strategic call for a double teleport, and the carry power of both Fenix and Piglet, the game had it all.
In the end, CLG conquered through and will defend their championship against the winner of TSM and Team Immortal.
Team SoloMid against Immortals
There's never been a North American final without TSM, and it entered the matchup against the ridiculous 17-1 Immortals as underdogs. Immortals boasted arguably the best duo in the western hemisphere in Heo "Huni" Seung-hoon and Kim "Reignover" Yeu-jin. That was coupled with the revenge arc with former-TSM AD carry Jason "WildTurtle" Tran. On the other side, TSM looked great on paper but fell flat during the split. But, it was the playoffs and this was a team with plenty of experience in this exact situation.
Call it an upset, but TSM did it. A ridiculously quick 3-0 sweep on the juggernauts of the North American LCS in relatively simple fashion. Whether you want to go in-depth and breakdown the lane phase or passivity in Immortals' play, the result could be boiled down to a lack of adjustments; stubborn pride. You live with Huni and you die with Huni. The lack of a true tank champion cost Immortals over and over again, and WildTurtle could not carry the heavy burden of constant deficits.
Each game was déjà vu. A slow lane phase transitioned to a back-breaking fight and individual execution from TSM to an eventual snowball victory. Sure, Immortals fought into plenty of stalemates, but this was the first time the national crowd saw this team bleed and they did not recover. However, the future is bright for this organization, but it does mean that there will be another year with a TSM final.
Who will emerge victorious, TSM and its chase for destiny or the defending North American champions, CLG, and their call for respect? The old guard or the new standard? These will be answered when both lineups face off in what could be the most-hyped finals in North American LCS history Sunday, April 17.