After a pretty significant comeback, 100 Thieves has kept their playoff aspirations alive and well by taking down TSM to further their position in the LCS 2023 Spring standings. This was one of the most important matches of the season for both teams since they were both tied in fifth with only three more games to go before the postseason.
This time around, it was the experience and patience of the Thieves’ veteran members that helped guide the roster to victory, especially after going down in gold through the first 20 minutes of the match.
Early on, the team was continuously rebuffed in the bot lane by TSM’s AD carry WildTurtle, who was able to fall back and avoid dying on multiple occasions.
Additionally, TSM got the jump on 100 Thieves several times throughout the early game after some great engages from Bugi’s Sejuani and Chime’s Rakan. After collecting a sizable advantage with their lead, TSM started to make unforced errors that would allow the Thieves to chip at their gold deficit, while also giving Doublelift and Closer enough time to farm up and scale in power.
Eventually, these mistakes would culminate in a handful of lost teamfights that would completely swing the game into 100T’s hands.
It was also hard for WildTurtle to translate his lead into the late game since he’d often find himself separated from his team during teamfights. It was messy and required a ton of willpower, but the heist was completed in a well-fought, 46-minute battle.
With this win, 100 Thieves’ chances at an unobstructed playoff spot have increased dramatically, especially after taking down TSM. They’ll still have to take on Evil Geniuses and Immortals through this superweek, but this victory should help raise their spirits and give them momentum as they zoom toward playoffs.
TSM, on the other hand, has an uphill climb ahead of them, since they must face off against Team Dignitas and FlyQuest to guarantee their place in the postseason. With CLG and 100 Thieves both picking up wins, the org has been temporarily pushed out of the playoff picture. They will have to not only win all of their games moving forward but also hope the LCS teams ahead of them drop their matches.
Catch TSM and 100 Thieves in action again tomorrow from 4pm CT.
