G2 Esports vs exceL

Predicting this particular match feels nigh impossible. EXCEL are on the up-and-up and G2, talented and seasoned though they are, haven't been quite as consistent (or dominant) as we expected. And that's strange, really. They're struggling with the fundamentals, too. How in the world such a thing is even possible is beyond us -- they have Caps and Jankos under their banner, along with an equally seasoned top laner (and former LCS champion) in Broken Blade.

That's about as stellar a three-man core as it gets, and yet their play *has* been somewhat lacking. Meek, insecure, precarious, volatile. Not at all the G2 Esports we all expected, or the G2 Esports we've all become so accustomed to over the years. But the times have changed, the this perennial organization can no longer be deemed a favorite by default. Granted, Flakked and Targamas have been pretty stellar overall, but they cannot always be counted upon and they're still fairly young and (relatively) inexperienced -- they shouldn't be the ones doing the hard-carrying. Jankos and Caps, on the other hand, have been quite middling, and that's not something we thought we'd be saying. Caps, in particular, has regressed beyond measure; he's the best Western mid laner of all time, not some random solo queue scrub -- and yet you wouldn't be able to tell based on his performance. Gone are his mind-blowing plays and moments of brilliance; now he's just... okay. Whether that'll change once the playoffs come around still remains to be seen, but we're not overly optimistic.

Still, we know for a fact that their skill ceiling is higher than that of EXCEL's. It might not be a night and day difference but this gap *does* exist, and if G2 draft well and play to the best of their ability they should definitely be able to get away with the win. It will not, however, be a lopsided affair. EXCEL have been on a tear and their players are extremely motivated to pull off yet another upset and build up even more hype and momentum for the playoffs. So, expect a skirmish-heavy spectacle, one that will be decided by the slimmest of margins.

And, well, we wouldn't have it any other way!