Proper turned in an MVP-worthy performance as the Shock beat Timeless and stay alive in the Pro-Am West event.

180 ping can't melt steel beams and the San Francisco Shock appear to be back in the fight. After an unthinkable winless start to the opening weekend of play at the Overwatch League Pro-Am West event, the former two-time champs found its footing.

On the back of its league MVP DPS Kim "Proper" Dong-hyun, the Shock finally scored a win against a Contenders squad and helped keep it in contention to qualify for the week three tournament.

Let's look at the various.

Shock still alive in Pro-Am West

Few would predict that the San Francisco Shock--an expected 2023 season frontrunner--would start the Pro-Am West winless. However, that very scenario became reality on the heels of an upset by Contenders standouts Trick Room over the former champions. Proper commented on the team's play before their match against Timeless to OWL casters, saying he would go back to being that MVP from last year because "they all seem to have forgotten."

Like LeBron saying he'll just do it himself, Proper put the Shock on his back and proceeded to dominate against TImeless. Per ten minutes, Proper put up 32 elims, 20 final blows, and only four deaths. This included a massive turnaround from 90 percent point completion by Timeless on Antarctic Peninsula.

The win is an important statement by the Shock but also serves as a portent of doom. The team will live and die on the back of Proper and stellar play from its MVP. Is one exceptional player enough to carry a team through the year? History says no, but we're also just at the start of the season.

Group A: The finale

The final day of Group A play for the Shock in the Pro-Am West event is cut and dry. San Francisco must beat the Vancouver Titans to have any hope of securing one of the top two slots in Group A and continuing on to the playoff bracket in week three. However, the team is not fully in control of its own destiny and will need some assistance.

The Sunday games include:

  • 4 p.m.: Vancouver vs. SF Shock
  • 5 p.m.: LA Valiant vs. Atlanta
  • 6 p.m.: Trick Room vs. Florida
  • 7 p.m.: Las Vegas vs. Saints
  • 8 p.m.: Trick Room vs. Timeless

The Shock will need a win against Vancouver and for Trick Room to fall to Timeless and Florida. If Trick Room wins out against Florida and Timeless they will secure second place. The stickier situation comes if Trick Room loses to Florida, beats Timeless, and creates a three-way tie at 2-2 between themselves, Vancouver, and San Francisco.

What happens then? Map differential will be the deciding factor. Either way, it should add a bit of excitement to this final Sunday in the first week of the Pro-Am West event.

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