The LCK Playoffs 2019 continue on April 7 with two South Korean powerhouses—SKT T1 and Kingzone DragonX—facing off in a thrilling best-of-five series for the right to challenge Griffin in the finals. The stakes are high, so we just had to do a preview for this series!
Kingzone DragonX put on a clinic in their 3-0 victory against DAMWON Gaming. They found not only creative ways to shut down enemy carries but also completely outclass their opponents with refined macro and surgical teamfighting. They’ve also shown great versatility in draft. Thus, we’re excited to see what pocket picks Kingzone prepared for the LCK’s Round 3.
Carries and role players
We can’t over-stress the importance of Kingzone’s bot lane. Deft has always been a juggernaut on AD carries. But the fact that he’s expanded his champion pool to include mages and AP carries makes him more dangerous than ever before. His dominance is further emphasized by TusiN, a daring playmaker who continuously finds new ways to set up his lane partner for success.
That’s not the only thing Kingzone have going for them. PawN saw massive improvements throughout the regular season. He finally looks like the same player who carried Samsung White to a World Championship. Kingzone also have two solid supportive pieces in Rascal and Cuzz who boast great synergy with their powerhouse teammates.
Unfortunately, solid isn’t going to cut it against SKT T1. This team is stacked with world-class talent. Every player can turn into a carry threat in the right circumstances. Combine that with a strong coaching staff and some of the best shot-callers in the league, and SKT T1 have all the tools to give Kingzone a run for their money.
Stars and veterans
Whenever you talk about SKT T1, you have to mention Faker. He’s a living legend of the LoL esports scene, and his ability to seamlessly turn 1v2s and show up in high-pressure situations is unparalleled. Weirdly enough, however, he might not even be the strongest player on his squad. Teddy and Mata are killing it in the bot lane. And while they’re not as explosive as Deft and TusiN, they make up for it with stability and veteran game sense.
In the past, SKT’s weakness was in the top lane. However, the current aggressive meta is a perfect fit for Khan’s carry-oriented skill set. Throw in a mechanical prodigy in Clid, and it’s hard to imagine Kingzone matching SKT’s firepower.
PREDICTION: SKT T1 will tear through Kingzone to win this series 3-1.
Image credit: LCK/Riot Games
