Cloud9 vs Evil Geniuses Prediction: Cloud9 Set to Continue Its Dominant Run

• In their group stage meetings, Cloud9 emerged on top both times. Combined with their tournament record, this places them as overwhelming favorites for the upcoming match.
• Since finishing the 2022 Spring split in the first place, Evil Geniuses are yet to replicate the same level of dominance and success in the LCS.
• Oddsmakers have rated Evil Geniuses as a 4.75 to 1 underdog for the upcoming match and have picked Cloud9 to take the win and advance through to the next round.

Statistically, the two teams are close regarding the number of games won in the current split. Evil Geniuses hold a record of 12-6, while Cloud9 is slightly ahead with 14 wins and only five losses incurred.

By topping out the group stage, Cloud9 received direct entry into the semi-finals of the upper bracket, where they will face Evil Geniuses in the upcoming semi-final match. The losing team will be relegated to the lower bracket quarterfinals, where they will get another shot at finding their way back into the semis. 

Cloud9 vs Evil Geniuses Pick

• Cloud 9 to win

Cloud9 vs Evil Geniuses Predictions

The two top-tier North American teams will face each other for the third time in this split of the LCS. The record between them will be 2-0 in favor of Cloud9 going into the upcoming match. If we consider Cloud9's performances over the entirety of the current season, we can safely conclude that they have the best chance of winning the tournament. 

As a 4-time LCS champion, Cloud9 looks set to get another one in the bag with the level of consistency that they have displayed during this split of the LCS. With 14 wins and five losses so far, the odds of winning are overwhelmingly in their favor. As winners of the 2023 Spring split, the team will have their eyes on getting a remarkable fifth LCS championship under their belts. 

On the other hand, Evil Geniuses have only tasted LCS gold once, in the Spring split of 2022, when they soundly beat 100 Thieves 3-0 to take the title. The team also saw several roster changes during the first half of 2023, which raises questions about the new squad's ability to perform consistently at the highest level. If their results provide any indication, it would seem that Evil Geniuses are as strong as ever but perhaps not on the same level as the former champions in Cloud9. 

Cloud9 Set to Continue Its Dominant Run

Besides adding EMENES to its squad to replace Diplex in February 2023, Cloud9 has had a stable roster of active players. The team's achievements speak volumes to the caliber of the players on its roster: apart from 4 LCS championship wins, Cloud9 has also finished as runners-up seven times and has even reached the semi-finals of the Worlds, a tournament that Asian teams have historically dominated. 

In the current split, Cloud9 has a win rate of 74% with a kill/death ratio of 2.5 - 14.3 kills to 8.9 deaths per game. The team has a penchant for snowballing once they gain momentum and has a win rate of 93.3% when ahead at 15 minutes. In terms of economy, Cloud9 has a gold per minute rate of 1974 and has scored First Tower in 52.6% of its games. 

Cloud9's latest addition, EMENES, has been proving his mettle to the team. He has dealt the most damage in the squad at 27.5%. Interestingly, Cloud9 has ten wins to two losses while playing as the blue side but only four wins to three losses when playing as red. 

Evil Geniuses Face Hurdles to Reach the Top

Of the five members in the Evil Geniuses squad, four have only joined between June and July 2023. With so many fresh players in the S-Tier squad, the team's potential was under question. However, EG has lived up to its reputation as one of the best teams in North America today, regardless of roster changes. With a win rate of 67% in the current split, EG's record is just short of Cloud9's, and there's not much separating the two teams on paper. 

Statistically, the two teams are close. Evil Geniuses has drawn first blood 44.4% of the time with a kill/death ratio of 2 - with 14.1 wins to 11.4 losses per game. Like their upcoming opponents, Evil Geniuses' opponents struggle once they are ahead at 15 minutes, as their win rate is 90.9% when they have built up a lead. 

Evil Geniuses is on par with Cloud9 in terms of economy stats- the team has a gold per minute rate of 1904 and has established the first tower in 61.1% of their games. Unlike Cloud9, playing on the red and blue sides has not affected EG's performances; the team has six wins and four losses playing as both the blue and red sides, respectively. 

While they might be closely matched on paper, Cloud9 has been around at the highest levels of competition for longer; EG will have to do something extraordinary to take the win.

How to Watch Cloud9 vs Evil Geniuses

• Teams: Cloud9 vs Evil Geniuses
• Location: United States of America
• Time: Saturday, August 6, 2023
• How to watch: Twitch