League of Legends LCS preview: TSM vs. Clutch – the final gasp of TSM?

The season series

These two teams first met in a Week 3 bout right when TSM was in their early-season groove. To give a perspective of how much things have changed for TSM since then, Grig was the team’s jungler in this match.

Clutch to took an early lead despite giving up first blood by turning a poor counter-gank by Jonathan “Grig” Armao against TSM’s bot lane. Some failed team fights by Clutch in the mid game gave Bjergsen’s TF and Zven’s Caitlyn time to ramp up, take Baron, and end the game in 37 minutes.

Three weeks later, TSM was again victorious in a game where Broken Blade famously played Azir top into Huni’s Cassiopeia. After Matthew “Akaadian” Higginbotham got his top laner first blood, TSM began beautifully pulling Clutch around the map with the power of TF ultimate. However, a poor decision by Broken Blade and Zven while sieging the mid inhibitor cost the team Baron.

Fortunately for TSM, the poor late game macro of Clutch was ultimately what did them in. While sending Huni to split push top, Clutch also inexplicably sent Damonte on a flank of the pushing TSM. Damonte got blown up before he could do anything, TSM killed several while Huni was still not even through the inner tower, TSM broke the base, and the game was basically over.