NIP vs JDG: is it over for NIP already? – LPL Summer Preview

LoL Esports

July 18, 2024

Davide Xu

After a rough start to the LPL Summer season, NIP is facing title contender JDG. Will they make the upset or will they drown even more in the standings?

Image Credit: NIP Weibo

NIP vs JDG – LPL Summer Season Week 3

The LPL brought in a new format for the summer split, as teams experienced the Fearless Draft mode in the Summer Placements and are now competing for the spots in playoffs. The top teams that are in Group A have a big advantage as the top 7 will directly qualify for playoffs and fight for the fourth LoL Worlds slot.

Despite being one of the best teams in spring, NIP has struggled with the second stage of the summer split, losing all 4 matches played so far. The team looks a bit lost and they were only able to win one game across the four series. Given that it’s a single round robin, starting with such a deficit can be troublesome for the team who needs to basically win the rest of the games to get into the top 7. Let’s quickly break down the series and what key elements might influence the outcome.

Series Breakdown

Based on how the team has been playing, it looks like NIP is struggling to adapt to the new meta. Top laner Shanji has diverged from the traditional top lane tanks like K’Sante and has gone for a more aggressive approach by playing damage-oriented champions like Kennen, leaving Aki and support Zhuo on tank duty.

The issue is that the team hasn’t looked great with this type of setup, with the team often falling behind by the 15-minute mark. They also seem to struggle with objective control, often finding themselves not on the same page. JDG, in comparison, has been much better when it comes to making plays on the map, often moving Kanavi and Missing together to create a number advantage. It requires lots of coordination and clear planning ahead to get the most out of these plays.

Overall, JDG is heavily favored in this matchup and we doubt that NIP will magically turn it out. And even if they are able to get the win, their schedule doesn’t look promising at all: after JDG, NIP will have to fight TES, BLG, and LGD.

Top Esports and BiliBili Gaming are front runners and the two with the best shot at winning the LPL Summer Championship.