Golden Guardians vs Cloud9

This here is a complete and utter toss-up. Both organizations have kept their cards close to their chest, and having that element of surprise *could* yield great results. Then again, they've found themselves in such a position not because of any fortuitous series of events but rather an unexpected hindrance -- COVID-19 had prevented them from fielding their intended starting line-ups and they've basically lost three or so weeks of practice as a result.

Make no mistake: they're *not* in a good position. The GGS line-up has fewer question marks, but one could argue that they have a lower skill ceiling as well. It all boils down to how much you believe in LS and his scouting methods. Summit is obviously a spectacular top laner, but he's probably not going to hit the ground running. The same goes for Cloud9's bottom lane duo as well. We simply don't know whether they're any good or not. We don't doubt in their long-term potential, but they still have an incredible amount of work ahead of them before they can fully realize it. It's not going to be easy, and the fact that they'll have to play through a language barrier only further complicates things.

Betting *against* Cloud9 sort of feels ill-advised. Then again, if ever there was a ripe moment for the Golden Guardians to pull off an upset, it has to be now. The boys in black and blue don't have any synergy whatsoever, and even though they're still probably better than their GGS counterparts on an individual level, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be able to get the win. We have two former LCS champions on the side of GGS, one of the best mid laners in North America, and a phenomenal veteran jungler from Europe. They're no slouch and they should not be underestimated. This is a truly capable line-up, and while they're probably not good enough to compete for a spot atop the LCS, they nonetheless have all the right tools to push Cloud9 to the edge and, potentially, pull off an upset.

The odds are simply too good to pass up.