Have SKT finally found their stride again with their first ever run in the gauntlet? Besting AFs is definitely a great start, especially when AFs busts out a new strategy that might be adapted by teams as playoffs for all regions begin. But AFs just couldn’t stand to the prowess of SKT when it came to the mid and late game, losing tower after tower and never being able to secure a single baron all series though they started several of them. Now on this high, SKT seem like they are back to their old selves. So can they beat the team that 2-0’d them twice during the regular split?
Why Are SKT Back In Form?
Call it the SKT playoff buff they always seem to have, but SKT do seem like their drought has been ended with the floodgates opening. Untara, especially, has been playing out of his mind on the latest patch with Rumble being one of his staple picks. Into matches like Renekton and Jarvan, he is enabled to pop off against his competition. While Huni might have been loved, he wasn’t having his best time this summer. Sitting on the sidelines, for now, has allowed for Untara to start playing to the level SKT need in the top lane.
Not to mention, SKT has been playing to the meta instead of trying to force anything out of their players that would feel less than stellar. Faker on Lucian or Galio, Huni and Peanut not making the best duo, or Wolf not playing the best on playmaking supports. Playing to their strengths is what SKT need to keep doing if they want to make it out of the gauntlet and get enough points for World’s.
SSG A Mountain To Climb
Just because SKT were able to beat a team that primarily focuses on skirmishes in order to win, doesn’t mean they have what it takes to topple a team that plays exactly like they do but cleaner. There is a reason why SKT were destroyed by SSG throughout the regular season and that’s because SSG can consistently play around objectives while SKT have tried to alter their playstyle too much.
While CuVee isn’t known for his hard carrying in top and could be a bit difficult into Untara, almost everything else about SSG seems better. Crown has been more comfortable and playing champions that bring more for the team over that of Faker. Haru and Ambition have been just as successful switching in while Peanut and Blank leave a lot to be desired. The creme de la creme of the SSG roster is the bot lane they play heavily around, Ruler and CoreJJ. Sure Ruler is more likely to play the utility, but CoreJJ loves the playmaking meta and even performs great on the Ardent Censer supports.
This is where SKT might crumble. If Untara can’t make enough of a lead top, if Peanut can’t play to the team’s success or falls behind, if CoreJJ is able to set up the fights for the team, SKT have doomed. Sure they have plenty of points from last split, but SSG is just a better SKT at this point. SKT can’t seem to find the right stuff and might be seeing another gauntlet in the near future with SSG being their opponents again.
