DraftKings LoL: Friday LPL/LCK Breakdown

GAMES (EDT)

• 4:00 a.m: Team Dynamics v. Gen.G
• 5:00 a.m: OMG v. Bilibili Gaming
• 6:50 a.m: Invictus Gaming v. eStar
• 7:00a.m: KT Rolster v. SANDBOX Gaming

For detailed player and team statistics, check out the

DraftKings LoL: Friday LPL/LCK Cheat Sheet

GEN vs. DYN

This game should be pretty straight forward, as GenG are going to smash DYN. Ruler and Bdd have been playing insane lately, aside from the T1 game, and their mechanics are steps above anyone from DYN. These two teams play a similar style but when it comes to macro and micro advantage, GenG has it in every lane. This is going to be a boring game, and given that Gen.G's upside is limited, I would only play them in cash games because they are the safest team on the slate.

Prediction: GenG 2-0

GenG Players to Target: Bdd ($7800), Ruler ($7,600)

BLG vs. OMG

People are still not on board with OMG, and I get it because they are very frustrating to gauge in every game they play. This is not a good matchup stylistically because BLG loves to play and draft early game comps, but the problem is they can't close out games. They are up by a large amount of gold around 25 minutes, and then it takes them another 10-to-15 minutes to try and end the game. A team with a huge early advantage should close out games pretty easily, and that is very concerning for a team going against one that likes to play in the mid-to-late game. If BLG can somehow use their early advantage and force fights then they can easily win more games. This is why OMG should win this series because of how they want to play: they can close games out, and they are a team that is top -five in gold differential at 25 minutes. OMG has shown the ability to play early, mid and late, and if their bottom lane can stay consistent and be more involved in the KP% then this team should have no trouble beating BLG.

Prediction: OMG 2-1

OMG Players to Target: Everyone

ES vs. IG

All the stats show that eStar are better than what they have been, but they are throwing games left and right. This team gets how to play the meta, as they are in the top-half in every objective category, but they can't close games out. In their recent games, it seems like they are trying to end games by forcing fights when they don't need to, instead of doing all the mid-to-late game things right; for example, vision control, lane priority, split pushing to get more map control. IG has slowed their tempo down, and since Baolan is starting, I believe they have more stability in the bot lane and more of a shot caller for the team. IG have been playing well, but now that the championship team is back together (minus JKL), this should make TheShy happy. When I say make TheShy happy, it has been apparent in some games when he is not on a champion he wants to play he goes on a death spree. This is another series that is going to be bloody because eStar deaths-per-loss are around 18, and we have seen the upside IG can provide in DFS.

Prediction: IG 2-1

IG Players to Target: Everyone

SB vs. KT

The Yamato buff is still real, but I think this is a spot where they will have a tough time. Both of their numbers suggest they belong in the bottom end of the LCK, but with KT punishing DragonX's mistakes, I have higher hopes that this team can salvage their season after being touted as a top team coming in. Ucal came in, and the coaching decision to use a more team fighting mid laner might change the outlook, especially Friday. Sandbox has opted into a more early game skirmish, and that's the Yamato way, but their weakness is in the mid-to-late game where they slow the pace down a lot. We saw that KT can snowball teams with a lead, and with players who are lane dominant this should be a pretty easy matchup for KT. I'm not saying SANDBOX are bad, but they have a lot more to work out to go against a team with such talent. 

Prediction: KT 2-0

KT Players to Target: Aiming ($7,800)