Curse vs TSM Snapdragon: Pre-Game Analysis - LCS Week 9 Day 2

TEAMS
Curse
Top Lane: Joedat "Voyboy" Esfahani
Jungle: Brandon "Saintvicious" DiMarco
Mid Lane: Chenglong "NyJacky" Wang
AD Carry: David "Cop" Roberson
Support: Eduard "EDward" Abgaryan

TSM Snapdragon
Top Lane: Andy "Reginald" Dinh
Jungle: Brian "TheOddOne" Wyllie
Mid Lane: Marcus "Dyrus" Hill
AD Carry: Jason "WildTurtle" Tran
Support: Alex "Xpecial" Chu



PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

Top Lane:

Voyboy
Notable Champions:
Elise - Since her release, Elise has been picked by Voyboy in a multitude of situations. He has become adept with her play style in top lane. TSM Snapdragon has multiple threats when running one of their traditional team compositions, giving Elise plenty of targets. With enough ability power, Elise could easily burst down a Karthus or Twitch. Voyboy is a very aggressive player and Elise complements that well as she snowballs incredibly hard. It would be in Curse's best interest to snowball Voyboy's lane as he has been known to carry into the late game. Elise may be a point of contention between Curse and TSM Snapdragon since TheOddOne has been known to pick her frequently. 
Shen - Shen doesn't exactly fit Voyboy's aggressive nature yet he still is one of his most picked champions. No doubt it is because of his ridiculous durability and split-pushing ability. Traditionally, Shen players will start out by building tanky items and will usually continue to do so throughout the game. Voyboy, however, has been known to buy items like Trinity Force or even Blade of the Ruined King on Shen to give him the extra damage needed to 1v1 most champions. 
Zac - Top lane Zac has picked up in popularity the past few weeks of the LCS. Voyboy quickly picked him up and has been using him to the fullest potential. Zac has some of the highest sustain in the game and can easily turn fights around by baiting with his passive, Cell Division. In the past, Voyboy has built Zac as an unstoppable tank but, if ahead in lane, he has also been known to stack magic penetration and some ability power making him a massive AoE damage threat. Voyboy on Zac could potentially take one of TSM Snapdragon's members out of the fight immediately but it is more likely that he'll try to disrupt the entire fight, granting Cop the breathing room necessary to clean up.

Reginald
Notable Champions:
Karthus - As Reginald's most played champion, Karthus has always served as a go-to pick for TSM Snapdragon. With his extremely high damage output and global pressure, Karthus complements most TSM Snapdragon compositions. Especially when used in conjunction with a jungler like Nasus or Elise, Karthus is excellent at picking off enemies. In team fights, Karthus can absorb a fair amount of damage at very little risk as his passive, Death Defied, allows him to cast spells even during death. This opens up opportunities that fit well with Reginald's aggressive play style. For example, simply Flashing onto an enemy carry as Reginald's Karthus almost certainly guarantees a kill. Because of this, Karthus is a common ban against TSM Snapdragon.
Ryze - With his massive burst from his combo, it's no wonder that Reginald picks Ryze as frequently as he does. With proper itemization, Ryze can be a tanky monster but also dish out an insurmountable amount of damage. Thanks to his Rune Prison, Ryze can set up gank opportunities easily. Ryze also makes a good 1v2 laner due to his range and ability to last hit under tower. In team fights, he can serve a purpose similar to that of Karthus since he can Flash onto an enemy carry and blow them up immediately. On the other hand, Ryze's damage also makes him a good peeler as only the tankiest of champions can stand against his mid to late game damage. For these reasons, he has bagged bans from several LCS teams.
Twisted Fate - Twisted Fate fits Reginald's aggressive play style perfectly because of the global pressure provided by his ultimate, Destiny/Gate. When part of any team, Twisted Fate can roam across the map to gank. He can also apply immense amounts of pressure by pushing a lane with Pick a Card and Wild cards then using Destiny/Gate to enter a fight across the map. When used by an aggressive player like Reginald, Twisted Fate can initiate fights, make plays, and ensure total map control. However, because of Twisted Fate's squishiness, a single mistake can result in a lost team fight or even a lost game. His ultimate and split-pushing capabilities make him a common ban against TSM Snapdragon.


Jungle:

Saintvicious
Notable Champions:
Jarvan IV - Jarvan IV is Saintvicious' most played champion. He has an excellent clear time and is one of the best early game duelists. His kit makes it easy to turret dive champions that are by themselves. In conjunction with Voyboy's aggressive laning, Jarvan IV could easily snowball top lane out of control. His Demacian Standard-Dragon Strike combo allows him to close distance effectively and Cataclysm could easily shut down an enemy carry. Curse has been known to utilize Jarvan IV along with Orianna, giving her easy opportunities to land a clutch Command: Shockwave. While TheOddOne has played Jarvan IV in the past, it is unlikely that he will be contested by TSM Snapdragon. If anything, he might receive a ban.
Nasus - When Nasus picked up in popularity again, Saintvicious was quick to pick him up as well. Nasus' ability to shut down enemy ADC's is unparalleled thanks to Wither. Fury of the Sands also provides high objective control on top of the massive health boost it grants. In team fights, Saintvicious on Nasus can initiate fights and create the openings necessary for Voyboy or NyJacky to decimate the enemy team. TheOddOne has also picked up Nasus and it is likely that he will be contested between the two teams.
Nautilus - Despite Nautilus' drop-off in popularity, Saintvicious still uses him as a back-up pick. His Dredge Line and CC allows for quick and easy ganks during the laning phase. In a team fight, Depth Charge and Riptide can cause massive amounts of disruption and also make for good initiation. After the start of the fight, Nautilus is a very good peeler and can protect Cop or NyJacky well. Like Jarvan IV, Nautilus synergizes well with Orianna if NyJacky were to pick her. It is quite unlikely that Nautilus will gain any attention from TSM Snapdragon and will probably not be banned.

TheOddOne
Notable Champions:
Elise - Elise is TheOddOne's most played champion for a reason. When applied to any team roster, she provides a high amount of map control and strong picking potential. On the TSM Snapdragon line-up with Karthus or Rumble, any enemy team will think twice before making any aggressive moves. In team fights, Elise is a strong initiator when combined with abilities like Rumble's Equalizer or Thresh's Death Sentence. She can also peel with Cocoon or burst anyone who gets in her way. Because of her popularity in the LCS, she is a frequent ban and even more so against TSM Snapdragon.
Nasus - Sharing similar traits with Elise, Nasus makes for a strong jungler. His picking potential with Wither is extremely high and it also makes for a good escape mechanism. Under the control of TheOddOne, Nasus serves as the front line of TSM Snapdragon's composition. Fury of the Sands along with proper itemization makes Nasus the very definition of tank. Fury of the Sands also opens up a lot of objective control thanks to the constant magic damage applied to champions and monsters in the area. This makes early dragons a distinct possibility. Like Elise, Nasus is a popular pick in the LCS which means he is often picked, yet he isn't banned terribly often.
Zac - With his strong initiation, crowd control, and durability, Zac is one of TheOddOne's most common picks. In conjunction with a typical TSM Snapdragon composition with Twisted Fate or Jayce, Zac's picking and initiation potential skyrockets. During team fights, Zac offers a substantial amount of CC to lockdown the enemy carries. Due to his high mobility, Zac's map and objective control is quite strong. When controlled by an experienced jungler like TheOddOne, Zac could easily Smite away objectives or buffs from the enemy team. As one of the most popular champions in the LCS, Zac is a commonly banned champion, and if he isn't banned, then he will most likely be picked.


Mid Lane:

NyJacky
Notable Champions:
Jayce - NyJacky's most picked champion is Jayce. His high poking potential and burst make him a great pick for any mid laner looking for an AD champion. In a Curse composition, Jayce provides easier initiation for Saintvicious or Voyboy and can burst down anyone that gets close or mispositions. Since Dyrus picks Jayce frequently, it is very likely that he'll be banned or first picked. 
Karthus - Karthus is picked by NyJacky for his incredible damage output and global pressure. With his passive, Death Defied, and Zhonya's Hourglass, Karthus can stay in a fight for very long periods of time, destroying anyone that gets close. Unlike Reginald, NyJacky likes to play Karthus a bit further back rather than immediately jumping onto the enemy carries. This difference in play style provides Curse's back line with strong peeling potential as only the tankiest champion can stand toe-to-toe with Karthus' damage. Due to Reginald and NyJacky's prowess as Karthus players, it is likely that Karthus will be a point of contention between the two teams and may even be banned. 
Orianna - One of NyJacky's most picked champions in the LCS is Orianna. She provides great damage and high utility to any team composition. On top of that, the positioning of her ball can effectively zone several enemies or even the entire enemy team. With Orianna, team fights are very dependent on proper use of her ultimate. NyJacky is a very patient player and will wait for the perfect opportunity to use Command: Shockwave. If WildTurtle or Reginald are caught in her ultimate, it will almost certainly mean a won team fight for Curse. However, if it is baited out by a clutch Zhonya's Hourglass or if it simly whiffs, then the team fight will most likely be lost. Unless TSM Snapdragon just wants to remove that possibility entirely, it is unlikely that Orianna will be banned.

Dyrus
Notable Champions:
Jayce - Jayce's high damage, mobility, and poke make him one of Dyrus' go-to picks. His Acceleration Gate-Shock Blast combo provides excellent poke damage especially when complemented by blue buff. In a TSM Snapdragon composition, Jayce serves as a 2nd carry. When decently farmed and fed, his damage potential is extreme and he can easily clean up fights. Acceleration Gate also allows for easier initiation or better escapes. In the hands of Dyrus, Jayce is one of the high priority targets. Because of this and his popularity in the LCS, Jayce is a first ban or first pick champion for many teams.
Rumble - Rumble is one of Dyrus' most picked champions in the LCS and one that he practices frequently in solo queue. His catching ability with Electro Harpoon and the initiation from The Equalizer makes him a valuable addition to any team composition. With TSM Snapdragon, Rumble serves a role similar to Jayce: a 2nd carry. When itemized correctly, Rumble's damage output is undeniable. With the mobility from Scrap Shield combined with Flash, Rumble can easily melt down an enemy carry. He can also protect the back line since building magic penetration is one of Rumble's priorities. Since Dyrus is as adept as he is on him, Rumble is a common ban against TSM Snapdragon.
Shen - If Rumble and Jayce are banned or if TSM Snapdragon's composition revolves around global pressure, then Shen is the go-to pick for Dyrus. The range and low cooldown of Vorpal Blade as well as his innate durability makes Shen a strong 1v2 champion. His Shadow Dash makes ganking easy for his team. Early to mid game map control is at its highest whenever Shen hits level 6 as his Stand United can give his team the edge in most any fight. In a TSM Snapdragon composition, Shen can complement Twisted Fate well thanks to their combined global pressure. Shen can also serve as an initiator and an unstoppable tank in team fights. Mainly due to Stand United, Shen is a common ban for many LCS teams especially against TSM Snapdragon.


AD Carry:

Cop
Notable Champions:
Ezreal - Ezreal has been one of Cop's comfort picks for a while. In the off chance that Cop is banned out or out-picked, then Ezreal would be a likely choice. While blue build Ezreal is somewhat situational, it would fit a Curse team composition easily as the kiting ability provided from Iceborn Gauntlet is quite valuable. Ezreal's Arcane Shift would make it easy for Cop to escape from a dive by Reginald or TheOddOne and if TSM Snapdragon wanted to force an objective, it would be simple enough for Cop to poke them down. It's doubtful that he'll be banned by TSM Snapdragon.
Twitch - Cop has been picking Twitch in most any situation. He has an incredibly high damage output and the ability to surprise or catch out enemies with Ambush. Twitch can decimate team fights with Spray and Pray if left alone, and even if he is jumped on, he can easily dish out damage with proper kiting and peeling from his teammates. In a Curse composition, Twitch's damage perfectly complements AoE CC abilities like Command: Shockwave and Elastic Slingshot. Since Cop has been picking him up a lot lately, Twitch may be banned out by TSM Snapdragon.
Vayne - While Vayne isn't commonly picked by Cop, she is still a possible pick if Twitch is banned out. In the hands of a mechanically adept ADC, Vayne's late game is true terror. Unless she is locked down by CC or burst down immediately, Vayne will demolish tanks and out-duel almost any enemy carry. After finishing Blade of the Ruined King, Vayne's lane opponents are in a dangerous position as she can all-in at almost any moment with Final Hour. Coupled with EDward's aggressive play, Cop could potentially bag a kill or two during the laning phase. Despite this, however, it is still unlikely that she'll be banned against Curse.

WildTurtle
Notable Champions:
Caitlyn - Caitlyn's long range makes her a safe pick in most situations. Piltover Peacemaker also makes her a great 2v1 ADC as the wave clear means faster turret kills. In the hands of WildTurtle, Caitlyn is one of the biggest threats on TSM Snapdragon's team. Sitting far in the back line, she can dish out extreme amounts of damage to her closest targets. Ace in the Hole also allows her to clean up fights if someone were to escape with low health. In a TSM Snapdragon team composition, Caitlyn requires a strong front line to keep her safe from champions like Jarvan and Zac that can dive in on her despite her long range. With more immediate threatening picks like Jayce or Karthus, Caitlyn will probably not be banned by Curse.
Graves - WildTurtle is not known for his Graves play. However, he has been practicing him a lot in solo queue and scrims. TSM Snapdragon may be planning a team composition based around the Graves pick. Since the Draven nerfs, Graves sort of fills in as a replacement. He isn't exactly a lane bully but his high burst makes him a dangerous lane opponent. Since WildTurtle's positioning is usually on-point, it will take quite a bit of Curse's attention to take him down when he's on Graves as Quick Draw is an excellent repositioning ability. Graves will most definitely not see a ban with so many other threats on the board.
Twitch - Recently, WildTurtle has gone with Twitch in certain situations. Twitch's ultra high damage output during the late game makes him a strong pick. In part because of Spray and Pray, Twitch's damage rivals that of Vayne and, because the extra range provided by it, he can even out-duel her. During a team fight, however, Twitch is at risk of being jumped on by someone like Jarvan IV or Zac. TSM Snapdragon will have to properly peel for Twitch if they want him to reach his full damage potential. Since Cop has been picking him in several of Curse's games, Twitch might be first picked by Curse or banned by TSM Snapdragon. 


Support:

EDward
Notable Champions: 
Nami - Since her buffs, EDward has been picking Nami more and more. Her Aqua Prison and Tidal Wave alone give her the CC and utility necessary to be a great support but when combined with her other abilities, she becomes a top tier pick. She fills a similar role as Sona during the laning phase, providing poke and the CC necessary to win trades. However, Nami thrives most in a team fight scenario. She can help her ADC's kiting ability with Tidecaller's Blessing, lock up multiple enemies with Aqua Prison, save her teammates with Ebb and Flow, and initiate or follow-up with Tidal Wave. Xpecial has stated that Nami was only strong due to the bug where her Aqua Prison lasted 2 seconds, rather than the intended 1.75 but since Patch 3.10, that has been fixed. Due to that statement, it is unlikely that she will be banned against Curse or picked up by TSM Snapdragon.
Sona - Sona has served as a safe fall-back pick for EDward. Her high utility and ultimate make her a highly desired addition to nearly any team composition. During the laning phase, she provides a safe lane for her ADC to farm in and can even poke out her opponents. In the hands of EDward, Sona can easily change the momentum of a game. On Sona, he could easily initiate a fight or ensure victory with a perfect Crescendo. If EDward does pick Sona, then positioning will be one of TSM Snapdragon's highest priorities. If either team considers her too big of a threat, then Sona could quite easily be banned.
Thresh - EDward wasn't dubbed the "Thresh Prince" for nothing. During his time on Gambit Gaming, EDward honed his Thresh skills to perfection. Now on Curse, he is still as strong on him as he was before. If Curse's composition requires more initiation or increased peeling, then Thresh would be a wise pick. In team fight's, EDward on Thresh will go out of his way to disrupt the enemy team as much as possible and if Reginald or WildTurtle mispositions in the slightest, then they can expect EDward to lock them down. Since Xpecial is also an incredibly strong Thresh player, it is more than likely that Thresh will be one of the most contested picks between the two teams.

Xpecial
Notable Champions:
Lulu - Lulu's great utility makes her a strong addition to most any TSM Snapdragon composition. When coupled with Caitlyn in a 2v1 lane, early turret kills are especially easy to snag. Additionally, when put in a 2v2 lane, Lulu is a safe pick and a decent bully, ensuring a farm lane. Wild Growth allows for even more aggressive play from her teammates. Whimsy makes for a good chasing/initiating tool but can also shutdown anyone wanting to dive onto her carries. 
Sona - Sona is one of the safest support picks in the game. She can handle most any lane match up and also thrives in a 2v1 lane. Sona serves as a good back-up pick in the situation that Thresh is picked or banned. Her sustain from Aria of Perseverance makes her great during stand-offs over objectives and her Crescendo can demolish team fights. A Crescendo can be combo'd together with Zac's Elastic Slingshot or it can make an opening for Karthus to dive in. Sona may possibly be a contested pick if Thresh is banned out.
Thresh - Thresh is Xpecial's most played champion in the LCS. His crowd control, decent damage, and ability to initiate makes him one of the strongest supports in the game. In lane, he is a terror to face in a 2v2 situation but definitely more so in a 2v1 scenario. His range makes early turret kills easy and he has the potential to get a pick off on the enemy solo laner with the use of Death Sentence/Flay. Thresh would add a lot to any team composition but would definitely thrive with a pick-heavy team as any follow up CC on top of his would almost guarantee a kill. Thresh can expect a first pick or ban from either team


Summary:  Karthus, Jayce, and Thresh will likely be the biggest points of contention between these two teams. Curse's early game is dependent on lane momentum especially in Voyboy's lane. If Voyboy can get rolling, then TSM Snapdragon will be in trouble when they go for objectives or try to contest whenever he is present. On the other hand, if Dyrus or Reginald are allowed to roam, then the early game could easily turn in their favor. Both teams will rely on their playmakers to get the ball rolling. Each team's objective will be to shut down those playmakers.

If both teams scale into the late game, then it will come down to the mechanics of the AD Carries and positioning of crucial abilities like Crescendo, The Equalizer, Command: Shockwave, and Tidal Wave. While Cop has been adopting aggressive play, WildTurtle has embraced it since he joined TSM Snapdragon. Catching multiple people with Crescendo or Command: Shockwave will ultimately determine a fight. On the other hand, a whiffed ultimate will almost certainly guarantee a lost fight. All in all, it will be an entertaining and interesting match.