There are definitely tiers of teams almost more than there are true rankings for the LEC at this point. Teams near the top are beating each other regularly and confidently holding those below them off. As for the very top there is still only one team and it should remain that way until playoffs. Speaking of playoffs, they are coming up soon and mathematically no team is eliminated, yet. So here are where the teams stack up heading into their games in week 7.
10. exceL (2-10)
This team has been struggling and there is no other way to put it. They are near the bottom in every major statistic and it doesn’t seem to be getting better. While Caedral has shown flashes and Jeskla is still very young their loss to Rogue has cemented them at number 10 on this list.
This week they will face off against SK Gaming and Misfits in an attempt to play spoiler for their playoff chances as both of these teams are on the cusp of a top 6 spot. For exceL, their goal should be to put in everyone who they expect to keep into next split. See if they can improve in certain areas and hope that during the mid-season break that they will start to come together as a team.
9. Rogue (2-10)
They won a battle of the baddies against exceL and their other win is against Misfits. While this team is not out of playoff contention they would need a miracle run to make it happen. As of now it looks like Finn and VandeR are going to be staying in the starting lineup as Rogue has had more success when they play.
The G2 game should be a loss and Fnatic are charging back. If Rogue can somehow win even one game off either of these teams then they should be ecstatic. It seems unlikely but stranger things have happened in League of Legends.
8. Origen (6-6)
Here’s where things start to get a little tricky. Everyone from 8 up to 2 are in a weird spot where they have big wins and big losses. To go from beating the best team in the LEC in G2, to going 0-2 the next week against the previously struggling teams of Misfits and Fnatic is rough. Right now this team is tied for 5th and easily have the best win in the LEC under their belt. The problem is consistency. They have to be able to beat these other mid-tier teams or they can kiss their playoff chances goodbye.
This is another prove it week. After dropping to two other mid-tier teams, Origen will face Vitality and Schalke in week 7. They need to win at least one of these games to stay in contention. If not then teams like Misfits and Fnatic will snatch those spots right up.
7. SK Gaming (6-6)
Who are SK Gaming? They were able to defeat Schalke but lost to Misfits this past weekend. This shows that they are similar to seemingly everyone else, stuck in the middle. They can be legitimate and might be well on their way to earning a spot in the playoffs if they can take care of their own business.
SK Gaming go from one extreme to the next this week. They take on exceL in what should be an easy win and then they face the giant in G2. They have to win against exceL or there could be some serious trouble for this team. If they can beat G2 then maybe everyone was sleeping on SK to begin with?
6. Splyce (7-5)
For Splyce they have only won against the two bottom teams lately and lost against Vitality. Had they beaten Vitality then this would really be a mess. This team has plenty of talent and will have the next few weeks to prove that they are a playoff team.
If Splyce want to show their stuff they will have to do so against Origen and Schalke. Huminoid will have to start doing more than just being a warm body. His KDA is just above Sencux who is in last for Mid Laners who have played 12 games. If this team can come out of this week 2-0 then they are almost guaranteed a playoff spot.
5. Misfits (6-6)
Was there a team in the LEC that needed last weekend more than Misfits? Wins against SK Gaming and Origen helped to get them out of whatever funk they were in. They can’t rest on their laurels yet though as they have a lot of ground to cover and a lot to prove to everyone to make up for their long losing streak.
The week will start with a crucial game against Vitality who are able to look impeccable one game and then very beatable the next. Misfts need a win here to show that last week wasn’t just a glimmer of hope. Then they play against a struggling exceL team that should allow Misfits to finish at least 1-1 on the week.
4. Fnatic (5-7)
This will easily be the most controversial placing but Fnatic have won three massive games the last two weekends. Beating Splyce, Origen and Vitality shows that Fnatic are starting to figure it out and are a team most do not want to face during the hunt for the playoffs. Broxah has shown that he can put on his carry pants and Bwipo has stopped dying unnecessarily. They will need to continue playing smart in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.
This week Fnatic have a big game against a team in Schalke who have been struggling as of late. If Fnatic can take advantage of the way both teams have been playing lately then they should be looking at a 2-0 week as Rogue are a clear underdog. This team is still on the outside looking in but a big week pushes them right back into at least a tie for a playoff spot.
3. Schalke 04 (7-5)
It was clear that Schalke let the shellacking that G2 gave them carry over into their game against SK Gaming. This is not to take anything away from SK but, Schalke are much better than they played last week. Their hope is that they have short memories and don’t let this slide into a looking streak.
Their games this weekend are going to be imperative if they want a chance at a top two spot. They must hold off Fnatic and Splyce as both teams will be looking to make big moves in the standings. If Schalke can’t stop their losing streak then it is still possible that they could miss the playoffs.
2. Vitality (8-4)
A solid win and a close loss are not enough to knock this team down too much. Winning against Fnatic would have been nice for many reasons, mostly no one wants to face them in the playoffs, but also because it would put Vitality well in the lead for the 2 seed. With the new playoff rules this means that they basically get a bye week and if they are able to beat G2 in that game then they advance straight to the finals. This is an enviable position and their goal should be to keep it, not just settle for making the playoffs.
For Vitality even going 1-1 this week is a victory. The play a surging Misfits team and a hungry Origen team. If Vitality play mistake free, aggressive but not overly aggressive League of Legends then they should be looking at a 2-0 weekend. But, if they overextend and tilt from lost team fights then it is just as likely that they could lose both their games. Which Vitality will come to play in week 7?
1. G2 (11-1)
G2 continue to take care of business. After their loss to Origen, there were many who wondered if Schalke could take advantage? They could not. G2 looked methodical and reminded everyone that they are the best team in the LEC.
Playoffs are already a lock for this team. They are also close to locking in a top 2 spot, only needing two more wins in their final six games. That said G2 play Rogue and Splyce this week which should amount to them continuing their winning ways.
The playoffs are just around the corner and right now there is a seven team race for the last five spots. This week starts the time where every game counts. Teams could drop from second or third to out of the playoffs in just a couple of games. Expect teams to be really pushing and not giving up on any games from here on out.
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