Thanks to Kanavi’s Shaco in Game 1, the 2-0 victory helps JDG reached fourth place, together with FunPlus Phoenix in LPL Summer 2021 rankings.
Shaco, as we all know, is an excellent ganking and skirmish champion. As a result, despite being incredibly good in the Solo Q, Shaco was rarely chosen for professional tournaments. The explanation is fairly straightforward: League of Legends professional teams frequently have the ability to communicate and cover each other incredibly well, making it impossible for Shaco to easily catch any of the opponents off-guard in any situation.
Shaco’s chances of participating in a competition where major fights can break out at any time, like the LPL, are further limited. However, JD Gaming stunned us by selecting The Demon Jester for Kanavi in game 1 of their match against Team WE on 11/7. According to the organizers, this is the first time this champion has been chosen in the LPL after a 2527-day absence. Kanavi, too, made excellent use of this champion, consistently made successful gank and invasions that gave his allies a significant advantage in the early game of the first match.
Kanavi’s item selection, in addition to his ganking ability, is something that many respect. Instead of purchasing items that enhance raw damage, Kanavi picked Serpent’s Fang and Mortal Reminder to counter Team WE’s lineup. This player recognizes that with the appearance of Gwen, Sylas, and Aphelios, they have more than enough damage. As a result, crafting items that counter the ability to create shields and limit healing is a more logical option.
JD Gaming had a clear edge over Team WE in the early stages of game 1 thanks to a “pocket ace” champion like Shaco. Although they encountered many difficulties in the middle of the game as Team WE’s primary champs hit the threshold of power, JDG’s fighting skill remains excellent. JDG beat Team WE in game 1 after a great team fight in the mid-lane in the 35th minute.
With a mental advantage after game 1, JD Gaming proceeded to play incredibly effectively and won Team WE in game 2 thanks to the brilliant performance from Yagao with Zoe. This 2-0 win gave JD Gaming the same score as FunPlus Phoenix, and the two teams are tied for fourth place on the LPL 2021 Summer standings.
JD Gaming will face Invictus Gaming and, in particular, Suning in the next sixth week of LPL Summer 2021. All of them are significant difficulties for JDG because IG and SN are both hungry for points to climb to the top of the LPL Summer 2021 standings. Remember that SofM and his colleagues have won three games in a row. They just defeated another extremely strong team, Top Esports. So Kanavi and JDG will need more than a strange pick (like Shaco) to overcome Suning and retain their fourth spot when the sixth week is finished.