MSI 2023: T1 vs JD Gaming Match Preview and Predictions

While the other sides that still remain at MSI 2023 have been battling it out for survival in the lower bracket, only Korea’s T1 and China’s JD Gaming still have an extra lifeline as they are set to face up in the upper bracket. Decided through a best-of-five series, the winner will move on to the grand final while the loser will drop to the lower bracket, facing either Bilibili Gaming or Gen.G.

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• May 18th 2023: T1 vs JD Gaming (14:00 CEST)

T1 vs JD Gaming: Match Preview and Predictions

T1 is the LCK’s in-form team. Despite losing to the LCK Spring final to Gen.G in a 3-1 upset, they’ve been the best side from their region across the whole split outside of that one day. They dominated the Spring regular season and have now looked on top form at MSI – beating Gen.G 3-2 in a thrilling upper bracket rematch to reach the semi-final.

JDG made it to the semi-final through a regional matchup of their own, swatting aside LPL second-seed Bilibili Gaming in a 3-0 sweep. They’ve been the clear top team in China so far this season and now aim to continue this momentum through MSI; a tournament that is won most often by Chinese sides.

If you’re looking to place some bets on this match check out our list of recommended League of Legends betting sites.

Bot laner Ruler played especially well against BLG and he’ll need no added motivation to keep that up as he looks for his first international trophy since winning Worlds in 2017 with Samsung Galaxy. T1’s Faker has also not won internationally since the same year, then lifting MSI with SKT, and he’ll be equally as desperate to end that drought.

Picking a winner is difficult, to say the least. We’ve not seen these two up against each other, and haven’t seen them up against other teams from each region, so there’s little perspective to go on.

At the very least, I’m expecting a close-fought five-game series, one that I could easily see swinging in favour of either side. If I have to choose one, I’d give the slightest of edges to JD Gaming purely for Ruler’s immense performance in their victory over BLG.

• Prediction: JD Gaming 3-2 T1

Featured image credit: Riot via Twitter (@LolEsports)