100 Thieves vs Team Liquid

To start off the day, we have an absolute barnburner: Team Liquid vs. 100 Thieves. Now, on paper, these two teams are somewhat similar in strength, but there are still huge, distinct differences that have resulted in TL currently being tied for first, and 100 Thieves struggling mightily to maintain their maximum level of play.

In other words, while they might seem similar, their long-term potential (and odds of realizing it) vary wildly. Team Liquid have quickly solidified their spot as one of the best teams in North America, and the fact that they're currently tied with Cloud9 even though they finished ninth in Spring (which was mere weeks ago), is a testament to their skill, talent, and staggering work ethic. They want to reclaim their recently-lost throne and they're doing everything that is within their power to make such a goal into reality. While the first few weeks of Summer were somewhat worrying, TL was able to quickly stabilize, lock down an identity, and start playing as a cohesive five-man unit. As things stand, they're far more aggressive and in sync than most people expect, with all of their members playing some exceptional League of Legends. That's integral here, as the vast majority of their line-up fumbled and failed on an individual level back in Spring. Not only are they no longer underperforming, but we're seeing players like Jensen, Impact, and CoreJJ back in form. They've been clean, dominant, and commanding from start to finish, and have been running circles around their opposition. Watching this incarnation of TL in action is an absolute pleasure, and one has to start considering them as a lock for the upcoming World Championship in China come October. They're not perfect, and a lot can change in a couple of months' time, but if they continue working at this respectable pace and further grow and develop as a five-man unit, they're bound to deliver and eventually represent their region on the biggest of stages.

100 Thieves, on the other hand, is impossible to read right now. They're both insanely good and also abysmal, depending on the day. It all hinges around their drafts, whom they focus on, and whether or not they start off on the right foot. When it's a good day, they can take down Cloud9 with relative ease -- arguably one of the biggest upsets of the season. When it's a bad day, they'll look like a bunch of scrubs, seemingly assembled from solo queue on a whim. There's very little rhyme or reason behind their performances and that makes them a deceptively dangerous opponent. They might come out the gates and dominate beyond measure or, conversely, fail to mount an offensive and just roll over en route to a one-sided defeat.

Be that as it may, they'll have their hands full against a team of Liquid's caliber. TL is by no means perfect, but they're extremely capable and have done more than enough to warrant everyone's benefit of the doubt. They're more flexible, and have distinct strengths of which they are perfectly aware of. They share first place with Cloud9 for a reason, after all.

We're going with TL on this one, but it might be a lot closer than the odds are letting on.