Griffin face DAMWON Gaming on March 23! This is one of the final instances of two top South Korean teams clashing against each other in the 2019 Spring Split, so we’ve made a comprehensive LCK match of the week breakdown for the series! Griffin didn’t have a great time last week. Dropping games to the likes of Gen.G and Afreeca was already bad enough, yet the manner in which they lost was even more worrying. Not only did Griffin look lost in the pick/ban face, but they got crushed in teamfights by two bottom-tier lineups. And that’s not a good trajectory during the last weeks of the regular season.

DAMWON Gaming had a much better showing in comparison. They have the ability to change playstyles depending on which top/jungle duo they field, which will definitely come in handy against a foe of Griffin’s caliber. Moreover, DAMWON seem like one of the best 5v5 teams in the region, so they have the tools to give Griffin a run for their money.

Griffin vs DAMWON Gaming – LCK Match Breakdown

Top Lane Matchup

The Griffin vs DAMWON Gaming top lane matchup might very well be the most important part of this series. With a 7.6 KDA and 8.9 CS per minute, Sword is Griffin’s versatile role player. He doesn’t have the firepower of his teammates, but you can count on him to hold his own in lane and challenge his opponents in winning matchups. Unfortunately, a huge chunk of his champion pool was gutted in recent League of Legends patches, so Sword is at his weakest state yet.

The same can’t be said about DAMWON’s top laner. Holding a 2.8 KDA and 9.6 CS per minute, Nuguri is a gifted splitpusher that always strives to exert as much pressure as possible in the early game. His substitute is even stronger. With a 6.7 KDA and 8.7 CS per minute, Flame is a battle-hardened veteran, who has the perfect combination of brains and brawn to break open the game. And while he doesn’t get as many resources as Nuguri, he’s still just as impactful.

VERDICT: DWG Nuguri and Flame take over the top lane matchup.

Jungle Matchup

The tables will turn in the jungle. With a 15.2 KDA and 5.8 CS per minute, Griffin’s Tarzan has a solid claim to being the best jungler in the region. His mechanical prowess is undeniable, but it’s his instinctual game sense that elevates him above his opponents and allows him to constantly be in the right place at the right time.

DAMWON don’t have similar tools in their arsenal. With a 7.9 KDA and 5.4 CS per minute, Punch is great at setting up early ganks and playing around the top side of the map, but he tends to fall off towards the later stages of the game. Canyon (4.3 KDA and 5.2 CS per minute) is much more self-centered, as he does everything in his power to turn himself into another carry threat. Neither of them offers the complete jungle package that Tarzan does, so DAMWON will have a hard time in this matchup.

VERDICT: GRF Tarzan reigns supreme in the jungle.

Mid Lane Matchup

The Griffin vs DAMWON Gaming mid lane will turn into a battlefield. With a 27.8 KDA and 10.3 CS per minute, Chovy is the pillar of Griffin’s roster. His champion pool consists of devastating carries and high-profile playmakers, which is a perfect fit for his aggressive playstyle. And while he’s a fairly young mid laner, he’s already playing with more thought than most LCK veterans.

DAMWON’s mid laner pales in comparison. Sporting a 5.6 KDA and 9.0 CS per minute, ShowMaker can be downright oppressive when he gets his trademark LeBlanc and Zoe picks, but he’s barely above average on other champions. He also doesn’t have the killer instinct of Griffin’s mid laner, so this matchup is going to be an uphill battle for him.

VERDICT: GRF Chovy outmuscles his opponent in the mid lane.

Bot Lane Matchup

This matchup will definitely be exciting to follow. Sporting a 12.5 KDA and 10.5 CS per minute, Griffin’s Viper is the most versatile bot lane players in the league, and you can count on him to pull out off-meta picks and execute them to the highest degree possible. Up until recently, Lehends (11.4 KDA) was a cut below him. That being said, Griffin’s support had a stellar showing last week, and his explosive playmaking will be key to taking over this matchup.

DAMWON Gaming can’t do much to oppose them. With a 7.9 KDA and 10.1 CS per minute, Nuclear is a talented teamfighter, yet he isn’t the greatest when it comes to laning and raw mechanical ability. The same applies to Hoit (4.8 KDA), who spends most of his time trying to hold off enemy aggression on defensive supports like Braum and Tahm Kench.

VERDICT: GRF Viper and Lehends secure a massive lead in the bot lane.

Griffin vs DAMWON Gaming – LCK Match Prediction

Week 8 was a wake-up call for Griffin, so they will be hungry to prove themselves on the Rift. Unfortunately, DAMWON Gaming don’t have the tools to stop them. They might have an edge in the top lane, sure, but they’re going to have a rough time standing up for themselves in every other position. With that, our prediction is a 2-1 victory for Griffin!

You can bet on Griffin winning the Griffin vs DAMWON Gaming match with a 2-1 score for odds of 3.34 at GG.bet