by Counter Logic Gaming and Clutch Gaming will clash on Saturday, August 24 to determine third place in the 2019 LCS Summer Split, only a day prior to the grand final between Team Liquid and Cloud9.
As two teams who failed to impress in the spring, both rose from the ashes and outperformed all expectations this summer. The fact that CG and CLG finished top five in the regular season was impressive to begin with, yet they further impressed by reaching the semi-finals.
Out of the two, it was CG who took the spotlight by defeating TSM (3-1) and producing a tough fight against TL (2-3) in the semis, yet there is one last hurdle they will need to jump over in order to claim their first-ever top-three finish.
Counter Logic Gaming odds
-188.68 at BetOnline
Formerly known as one of the strongest teams in North America, CLG are back in business after a lean patch in recent times.
Counter Logic booked a playoff spot with a 12-6 record and went on to decimate OpTic Gaming 3-0 in the quarter-finals, although they went down 1-3 to Cloud9 in the semis.
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While CLG are a very strong team that deserved to reach the top four, there are some concerns about how well they are prepared for the upcoming fixture.
Their lack of matches against top teams in the last few weeks of the split took a toll on their match-readiness, which was highlighted in the loss to C9.
What that will mean for their fixture against CG is yet to be seen.
Clutch Gaming odds
+137 at BetOnline
As a team who did not look too promising in the spring split, CG lifted their game over the summer to secure a fifth-place finish and a ticket to the playoffs.
All of their achievements this split can be credited to the improvement of each individual player on the roster.
Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon started performing like his former self, Nam “Lira” Tae-yoo found his own identity in the jungle, Tanner “Damonte” Damonte emerged as one of the best NA mid-laners, Cody “Cody Sun” Sun showed incredible growth as a player, and Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme has been phenomenal in his support role.
This is a strong team, as showcased in the win over TSM and the narrow loss to Team Liquid, and now CG will look to take one last scalp when they face CLG this weekend.
Counter Logic vs Clutch betting predictions
CLG enter the fixture as -188.68 favourites, which overrates them a bit.
Although they defeated CG twice during the regular season, the form of both sides in the playoffs suggests this will not be a one-sided affair.
Clutch Gaming legitimately impressed in their semi-final clash against Team Liquid, which leads us to believe they have more than enough quality to stand up against any NA team.
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The two teams seem equally matched in all lanes, meaning this fixture can go either way; however, if there is one lane which could tip the match in one direction or the other, it is the top lane.
Huni will have to be on top of his game to stop Kim “Ruin” Hyeong-min, who has proven to be the biggest win condition for CLG due to his incredible potential to snowball if he gets ahead.
If, however, Huni proves to be up to the task and stops Ruin, we believe CG have a very solid shot at earning a bronze medal here.
With +137 offered on CG to do so, we will take our chances and trust the 2017 LoL Worlds runner-up to deliver.
Prediction: Clutch Gaming to win – Best odds at BetOnline
