Title favorite JDG will face LCK #3 seed KT Rolster in the third quarterfinal of LoL 2023 Worlds. Can KT survive their biggest challenge yet? Or will they finally succumb?
Let’s check out the two teams’ paths so far and what are going to be the key factors in this match.
JDG – are they still the best team in the world?
JDG was the only team, alongside Gen.G, that went undefeated in the Swiss stage. The team faced BDS, BLG, and LNG in the three rounds, and apart from the series against LNG, everything went smoothly for the LPL #1 seed.
KT will be the first Korean team JDG face at the tournament, and it will give us a better idea of how the favorites of the tournament fare against the LCK. For JDG, winning Worlds would not only mean being able to win the org’s first World title, but they would also become the first region to get the Grand Slam, winning all domestic and international titles in the same season.
In the three matches we saw so far, JDG continued to play like they have always done throughout the year: consistent and solid gameplay, followed by exceptional teamfighting. There is no team in the world that is able to have the same level of consistency, aside from a few exploit performances by the likes of LNG. But in the long run, JDG have always managed to get the upper hand.
KT Rolster were the undisputed unluckiest team at Worlds. They deservedly made it through the Swiss stage, but the LCK #3 seed found themselves having to play against DK and three LPL teams. With JDG, KT will have faced all Chinese teams at the tournament.
The Korean team have done a great job so far, finding a good balance between the meta and their own playstyle. By enabling the mid lane, the team directs most of the resources to the ADC Aiming, who is the team’s main threat, similar to what Elk is for BLG.
The mid and jungle matchup for this series, however, will be the key to the entire series: if KT somehow find a way to break Kanavi’s or Knight’s ankles, then we might have a banger series.
That being said, this is easier said than done. If teams like Gen.G and T1 struggled against JDG, then KT, who is theoretically a bit weaker, should have an even harder time. KT must find a way to get the early leads and force JDG into a mistake, or the Chinese will likely always prevail in the late game.
Excited to see how the drafts unfold, though: JDG will get both the side selection and more data, given the amount of games KT played on stage. This will allow them to possibly get a better preparation. Overall, the series is surely in JDG’s favor, and it might also be a quick 3-0. While I hope to see KT push JDG to the limit, I doubt it will happen this time around.
