For complete League of Legends recaps, standings and stats, click here.
JD Gaming came out with a big 2-0 sweep of LGD Gaming in a must-win scenario on Saturday during Week 9, Day 3 of the League of the Legends Pro League in Shanghai.
Over the past few weeks LGD (6-9, 15-19 match score) has looked indecisive in both wins and losses, and this series versus JDG (5-9, 14-20 match score) was no different. The real surprise was that LGD could never win an important teamfight, even when it was the team that pulled the trigger with a favorable engagement. The follow up damage was never there as the team would quickly become disorganized after the initial burst. In Game 1, JDG smartly pinched the LGD AD carry Gu "Imp" Seung Bin's champion pool forcing him play the all-or-nothing champion of Vayne. He delivered solid initial damage, but the squishiness of the champion meant that he was either dead or retreating before the fights were finished. Meanwhile JDG's high-damage composition meant the team was controlling the pace. Drafting two AD carries proved to be a winning strategy in both matches of the series for JDG.
In Game 1 JDG simply was more efficient in teamfights. It managed to do the same in Game 2, but this time it was largely due to a strong draft, as it secured more damage and bigger tanks. With no discernible advantages in late game, the result was a foregone conclusion before the contest reached its final chapter. The fighting wasn't the whole story, as LGD's lackadaisical movement around the map meant it lacked vision and objective control. Additionally, Lee "Loken" Dong-Wook carried on Varus in the late game, despite the champions built in difficulties in reaching that point. As an LCK and LPL veteran, Loken showed his experience by seemingly always staying in perfect position to deliver consistent damage all while preserving his life. At the game's conclusion, he had a perfect score of 4/0/8 (kills/deaths/assists) for a masterful 100 percent kill participation. Loken's steady hand allowed mid laner Kim "Doinb" Tae Sang to play his aggressive pedal to the metal style on Lucian. The team knew that Doinb could take risks as Loken would remain in a position to finish off kills, making them a perfectly paired duo.
JDG's road to the playoffs is only beginning as it next faces off against Group B's current leaders, OMG on Friday at 8 a.m. ET. LGD needs to rebound to preserve its fourth-place playoff spot against a scary Royal Never Give up squad the same day at 5 a.m. ET.