Foreword: The S16 season has officially begun, and I believe most players have been following the recent matches. The playoffs across various regions are intensely underway. With the conclusion of the LCK winners' bracket matches, HLE has become the first LCK team to secure a spot in MSI. Kanavi shed his recent slump and defeated T1 in dominant fashion, with top laner Doran becoming a clear weak point and Faker making frequent mistakes. In the post-match interview, Kanavi directly called out TES's Creme, saying he is too easy to catch and that he will definitely target him in their upcoming matches. It seems the atmosphere within TES remains decent, though their relationship with the coach is not so good.

Kanavi calls out TES's Creme

Most players are familiar with the LCK, being a top-tier region. In recent years, the LCK has developed rapidly, winning multiple World Championships and consistently dominating the LPL. As the playoffs progress, the first LCK team for MSI has been decided. Fans were surprised to see HLE easily defeat T1, with most games being one-sided. Mid laner Faker was outplayed by Zeka, who even used Faker's Yasuo skin. It seems T1's roster changes this year are indeed problematic.

Let's review these games. In Game 1, HLE consistently targeted Doran's Sion early on, building a 3,000 gold lead. At 24 minutes, they secured the Baron buff. Just when it seemed smooth, Zeka's Ryze was caught and killed in a crucial teamfight, allowing T1 to turn a 7,000 gold deficit into a 2-for-5 victory and secure the Ocean Soul. At 37 minutes, Oner made a fatal mistake by getting caught alone, and HLE pushed mid to take Game 1. In Game 2, HLE again had a solid early gold lead and even secured the dragon soul point. However, in two critical teamfights, Gumayusi's Xayah positioned too aggressively and was instantly killed twice, allowing T1 to stage a strong comeback.

In Game 3, HLE maintained a slight gold lead early on. Kanavi's Lee Sin was outstanding, stealing several crucial dragons. During the dragon soul teamfight, the Lee Sin snatched the soul, secured a triple kill, and led a 1-for-4 victory. With the Baron buff, HLE pushed and destroyed T1's base. In Game 4, Zeka showed off by picking Faker's Yasuo worlds skin. T1 had the early advantage in this game, but during a key teamfight, Zeka's Yasuo executed perfectly, stealing the Baron and then eliminating T1's jungle and support. After securing a second Baron, HLE had the game under control. In the final teamfight, Zeka's Yasuo instantly burst down Faker's Azir, and Gumayusi's Senna had nearly 1,000 range. Ultimately, HLE won 3-1, locking in the LCK's first seed.

Kanavi's performance in this match was outstanding, shedding his previous slump. In the post-match interview, he responded to Creme's earlier challenge. He said he has many good memories with Creme from last year, and although there were ups and downs, they got along well until the end. What Creme said was maybe a non-provocative provocation. Kanavi's reply: "Every time we meet in solo queue, I always gank him often, and he's indeed easy to gank. Be careful not to get caught—whenever we meet, he dies too easily." It seems T1's roster change this time is problematic. Without Gumayusi as the reliable carry, T1's late-game damage is indeed lacking.

Zaijian's Take

After this match, Gumayusi has firmly established himself as the strongest ADC. He has qualified for MSI for five consecutive years—something no other professional player has achieved. Now, no one—whether Ruler, Uzi, or Bang—deserves the title of world's best ADC. Gumayusi is the true strongest ADC. With three World Championship titles and five straight MSI appearances, especially after switching teams, one can only wonder what T1's management is thinking now.

What do you, dear viewers, think about this?