MSI Play-In & Bracket Breakdown | The Dive Driven by Kia

*Bracket Stage continues July 8th at 8PM PT with LYON vs TSW, followed by G2 vs T1.

Reporting live from Korea! On this episode of The Dive Driven by Kia, Azael and Kobe break down everything happening at MSI and look ahead to the rest of the tournament.

Our hosts note that, while Pyke may not be a frequent page in LYON’s playbook this split, each game in LYON’s series against BLG remained competitive. When matches come down to clutch moments, they make for some of the most exciting series to spectate. TLAW unfortunately bowed out of MSI, and while T1 definitely taught them some tough lessons, they were still able to put together a dominant series against KC. From there, our hosts shifted their focus to the performances of the other regions, with a particular attention given to Europe.

International experience itself seems to be playing a major role this year, impacting teams from every region. Do those long, rigorous hours competing in front of global audiences against the world’s best truly prepare players for high-pressure moments like these? And can untested rookies make up for that lack of experience and still find success on the international stage?

Looking ahead, only three matches have been decided thus far. First up is TSW vs. LYON, a matchup that could play into LYON’s preferred style (though Pun is looking especially dangerous in the top lane). Next comes G2 vs. T1, where the biggest questions are: Who will rise to the occasion? Which team will adapt its strategies to exploit the other’s weaknesses… if any can be found. Finally, HLE vs. BLG promises to be a fast-paced showdown unlike any other. According to Azael and Kobe, the deciding factor is simple: which talented roster performs better on the day.

To wrap up this episode, our hosts revealed their ideal MSI matchup but tell us in the comments below: what matchup would you like to see before the tournament comes to a close?

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

1:30 - LYON at MSI (so far)

8:40 - Pressure at The Top

15:02 - Play-In Recap (TLAW)

18:24 - Circling Back to LYON

21:59 - TOP Esports

26:29 - Europe’s MSI Showing

31:59 - TSW vs LYON Lookahead

40:32 - G2 vs T1 Lookahead

51:41 - HLE vs BLG Lookahead