DAMWON face SKT in a thrilling LCK match of the week series on February 24! Who’s going to win in this clash between the old and the new? DAMWON Gaming have regained their momentum with back-to-back victories against Afreeca Freecs and Jin Air Green Wings! Their players stepped up to the plate in the laning phase, and they’re finally using their substitutes to shore up the holes in their early game. Combine that with their potent teamfighting, and DAMWON Gaming have all the tools they to climb to the top of the LCK standings.
SK Telecom T1 are also coming into the series with two week 4 victories under their belts. Their wins might not seem as impressive if you just look at the scorelines, but the amount of growth they had is staggering. For starters, they’re finally funneling resources into their mid lane by putting Faker on carries and playmakers. They also brushed up their macro to the point where they can reliably take over games through nothing more than well-timed rotations and solid objective setups.
DAMWON vs SKT – LCK Match Breakdown
Top Lane Matchup
The top lane will get explosive in this DAMWON vs SKT series! His 2.8 KDA and 9.5 CS per minute might not set the world ablaze, but Nuguri is the best player on DAMWON Gaming’s lineup. His carry play is impressive, and he can even single-handedly dominate the competition if he gets his hands on picks like Jayce or Vladimir.
SKT’s Khan wishes he was in the same position. With a 2.7 KDA and 9.0 CS per minute, he’s a carry player at heart, but he’s hampered by SKT’s decision to relegate him to tank duty. Still, he has the killer instinct to sever as SKT’s go button. His teleports aren’t too shabby either, so even though Khan will be on the back foot in lane, he should be able to keep up with Nuguri later on.
VERDICT: DWG Nuguri claims the top lane as his own.
Jungle Matchup
DAMWON Gaming don’t have a lot of stability in the jungle. With a 3.3 KDA and 5.2 CS per minute, their main jungler—Canyon—shows a lot of promise on Kha’Zix and Nocturne, but he struggles to branch out to other picks. Perhaps that’s why his team turned to Punch. Holding a massive 22.0 KDA and 6.0 CS per minute, DAMWON Gaming’s substitute only has a total of three 2019 Spring Split games to his name, but he’s already proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the early game.
Still, both DAMWON Gaming’s junglers are going to struggle against Clid. With a 4.6 KDA and 5.2 CS per minute, SKT’s jungler is an early game genius that always seems to find a way to set up his laners with kills and CS leads. On top of that, he has a natural knack for playmaking, so you can count on him to break open teamfights and pull off clutch Baron steals.
VERDICT: SKT Clid reigns supreme in the jungle.
Mid Lane Matchup
ShowMaker had a lot of hype coming into the 2019 LCK Spring Split, and it’s easy to see why! With a 5.0 KDA and 8.7 CS per minute, DAMWON Gaming’s mid laner is an absolute monster on carries and playmakers, and his combination of mechanical prowess and acute game sense put countless LCK mid laners on the back foot. However, he’s not nearly as potent on utility picks and team-focused champions, so he has a hard time playing a supportive role on the team.
Meanwhile, Faker is the complete package. His 3.5 KDA and 9.1 CS per minute might not blow you away, but Faker is a battle-hardened veteran that can fulfill any role imaginable in order to set his team up for success. His carry play is as sharp as a razor, and even a mid laner of ShowMaker’s caliber will struggle to keep up with him in the laning phase.
VERDICT: SKT Faker secures a lead in the mid lane.
Bot Lane Matchup
The bot lane DAMWON vs SKT matchup will be a clash of playstyles. Sporting a 5.9 KDA and 9.9 CS per minute, DWG’s Nuclear is a solid teamfighter and utility player, but he doesn’t shine much in the laning phase. With that, Hoit (4.0 KDA) frequently opts for tanks and defensive picks to protect his AD carry from enemy aggression.
SK Telecom T1’s bot lane is much more explosive. With a 5.1 KDA and 10.6 CS per minute, Teddy is a mechanical prodigy that exerts a ton of pressure in the laning phase and seamlessly converts it into dominant teamfighting. Meanwhile, his support Mata (3.5 KDA) is an explosive playmaker that can solo carry entire games with his flanks and initiations.
VERDICT: SKT’s Teddy and Mata break through the bot lane.
DAMWON vs SKT – LCK Match Prediction
DAMWON Gaming have a lot of potential, but SK Telecom T1 are out of their reach. Most of their players aren’t strong enough to stand up to their SKT counterparts, and unless they find a way to snowball Nuguri for three games in a row, they’ll have a hard time gaining any ground in this series. Our prediction is a 2-1 victory for SK Telecom T1!
You can be on SK Telecom T1 winning the series with a 2-1 score for odds of 2.90 at Betway. If direct score wagers aren’t your cup of tea, consider placing a match winner bet on SKT for odds of 1.50.
