CLG vs 100 Thieves

This, at its core, is about as one-sided a match-up as one can find in the LCS. On the one side, we have the defending North American champions and one of the most capable teams in the history of the region. On the other, a young but feisty line-up that was assembled with the long-term picture in mind. The former is here to dominate and win it all. The latter, on the other hand, is just expected to stay afloat and keep growing so that one day -- in the somewhat distant future -- it, too, can leave a mark.

The gap between them is so big we might as well call it a canyon. Still, CLG's "budget-friendly" roster has already done way better than any of us thought they would. They haven't brought the house down nor have they blown anyone's mind, but they *have* been a fair bit more competitive than anyone expected.

How many wins they'll get on the board once all is said and done still remains to be seen, but they should not be underestimated whatsoever. Luger and Jenkins are playing incredibly well, and Contractz has earned our respect as well, even though he's yet to have a good showing in 2022. Palafox has had some very good games and a few pretty bad ones, too, but overall he's been more than serviceable and should, by all means, be able to keep growing as we inch closer to the Spring Split playoffs.

Unfortunately for CLG, they're all but guaranteed to go winless in their first week of regular season play. Their loss to FlyQuest wasn't all that bad (given the circumstances), but it *was*, in all fairness, their only shot at getting a win on the board. 100 Thieves are better in every conceivable way, and there's nothing whatsoever that CLG will be able to do to surprise them. Still, if they come out the gates swinging they might be able to challenge 100 Thieves and make it somewhat entertaining before eventually falling prey to their more capable adversaries.