Four Players to Watch in the LCS Summer Finals
Reigning kings versus an org out for redemption. It’s the showdown we’ve all been waiting for. The League of Legends Championship Series is in its finishing laps and we’re down to three-time reigning champion, Team Liquid up against a rival looking to reclaim its spoils of old, Cloud9.
In wars, battles, and League of Legends, there are going to be heroes who rise up and take what is rightfully theirs and there will be those who come close but fall short when it matters the most. For the 2019 LCS Summer Split Finals, here’s who to look out for in the ensuing series.
1 Dennis “Svenskeren” Johnsen
Having a resurgence reminiscent of his former glory, Cloud9’s jungler and the Danish half of the Swole Bros, Dennis “Svenskeren” Johnsen, has soared up and above and arguably single-handedly got the long-standing organization to the Finals.
Svenskeren, the 2019 LCS Summer Split Honda Most Valuable Player, is known for his clever pathing which has allowed Cloud9 to create sizeable leads from his playmaking in their wins against Team Liquid in the regular season.
Coming into Detroit, Svenskeren is, once again, on the verge of hoisting the Championship trophy that has narrowly evaded him for splits on end. With his diverse champion pool, Svenskeren easily takes up the role Cloud9 needs him to be, whether as an engager (Gragas), a frontliner (Sejuani), or a duelling bruiser (Rek’Sai). Ultimately, it will be up to Team Liquid’s Jake “Xmithie” Puchero to outmaneuver Svenskeren and quell the pressure he will inevitably bring onto the Rift.
2 Yilliang “Doublelift” Peng
As one of the greatest homegrown talents North America’s ever had or arguably will ever have, Yilliang “Doublelift” Peng has indubitably established himself in the player hall of fame by winning back-to-back championships across rosters, organizations, and circumstance.
In an interview with Riot Dash in The Queue, Doublelift unabashedly touts his faith in his individual prowess as a player and a competitor. Through the years, Doublelift’s aggressive, resource-heavy, and traditional carry playstyle has been a crutch that has led him to the trophies he keeps on his once-empty shelf. In the Finals, you can count on Doubelift to still be on his toes and fully-capable of bringing Team Liquid a four-peat that no one else has ever accomplished in North American League of Legends.
3 Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen
If Jensen wins, he loses Cloud9 another Championship.
Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen has gone a long way from his days in Cloud9. After winning his first-ever Championship in the Spring Split, Jensen is eager to prove that his Spring victory was merely a sliver of the fulfillment of his potential as a Mid Laner.
In the Semifinals with their narrow 3-2 win against Clutch Gaming, Jensen’s performance was half-and-half performing well on his Akali (8.5 KDA) yet having worrying performances with his Corki (2.67 KDA) and Sylas (1.5 KDA). Against Cloud9, Jensen will be looking to redeem himself and reiterate precisely why he left in the first place.
4 Yasin “Nisqy” Dinçer
Coming all the way from Splyce in the League of Legends European Championship, Yasin “Nisqy” Dinçer returned this season to North American soil filling in the shoes of former Cloud9 Mid Laner and present-day rival, Jensen.
All throughout Summer Split and the Semifinals, Nisqy has had marked improvement in his play with regards to laning, roaming, and teamfighting. With Nisqy stepping up to the plate and Svenskeren guarding his rear, Nisqy has become a point person Cloud9 can play through to take W after W. With the engages he was making on Sylas and Qiyana against Counter Logic Gaming, it’s only to be expected that Cloud9’s mid and jungle will be a pairing to be wary of in the coming Finals.
Don’t miss the awaited Finals showdown of kings and challengers on August 26th at 4AM (PST)! The 3rd Place match between Clutch Gaming and Counter Logic Gaming starts on August 25th at 4AM (PST). Viewers can catch the action on https://watch.lolesports.com.
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