As was probably expected, everyone in the LEC is starting to pick up their game. It is still really close for that 6 spot but the rest are relatively set for the playoffs. Can someone pull off the swipe of the last playoff spot or will Schalke hold on? Here is where the teams stand before the last week of the Spring Split regular season.
10. Rogue (2-14) LW: 10
Well, it is official, Rogue are the worst team in the LEC this split. Neither of their games were close and it is clear that changes need to be made between stages. This roster has struggled all split and it just is not working.
They will finish out the split with the chance to play spoiler. SK and Schalke are both in the payoff hunt and winning against either of them would be a crushing blow to their playoff chances, especially if Schalke lose their first game. It would not be surprising to see Rogue have a very different lineup, full of Academy players in this last week. They might as well see what they have in order to decide who to keep around for the next split.
9. exceL (4-12) LW: 9
It has become clear that this team is young but they have talent. Their game against Schalke proved this as Jeskla and Caedral popped off. They may not have carried it over to the Fnatic game but that is mostly because Fnatic are just on another level right now. This team definitely has potential. They need to hone their skills and coordination and maybe add a piece somewhere to help improve them to where they are competing for the Summer Split Playoffs.
To end their first ever Split, exceL will play Team Vitality and Origen. Both of these teams already have playoff spots but they also have a chance at getting the second seed which in this new playoff system is definitely a benefit. Keeping this in mind exceL can play spoiler for one or both of them.
8. SK Gaming (7-9) LW: 6
They had their chances this week to really put themselves in a potential playoff spot. Instead they were just outclassed. Now with their losses to Origen and Splyce it will take a lot of things to go right for SK to make the playoffs.
This week they will likely need two wins in order to have a chance to make it in. Their first game will be against Rogue so at least they start off with a potentially easy win. Then they will need to beat Team Vitality in order to have a chance at making it. If they can pull off the upset against a team trying to get the second seed then it will all come down to what Schalke do and potential tie-breakers. Either way, buckle up everyone, this may come down to the wire.
7. Misfits (7-9) LW: 7
Misfits ran into a surging Fnatic team and a very desperate Schalke team last week. The 0-2 would have a silver lining had Misfits played well. Instead they were slaughtered and looked like the team that was seen a few weeks ago. Now they will likely need a miracle to make playoffs and try to offset a very disappointing Split.
A miracle still may not be enough for Misfits as they face Splyce and then G2. Their only hope is that they play out of their minds against Splyce and hope that G2 are complacent and don’t care about their last game since they are locked in the first seed. If these things don’t happen then it looks like Misfits will spend MSI licking the wounds and trying to solve what went wrong.
6. Schalke 04 (8-8) LW: 8
After losing to exceL it looked as though Schalke were dead in the water. Then they came out and wrecked Misfits. This will hopefully give Schalke the confidence they need to close out a very up and down Split for them. They are by no means a lock for playoffs either. Misfits and SK are right on their tail as they will likely need at least one win this week.
Schalke will start the week against a very good and hungry Origen team. It is very unlikely that Origen wont be giving it their all as they will be fighting for second place. Then Schalke will get a gift against Rogue. Although it is not unlike Schalke to throw against Rogue like they did against exceL, they must stay focus and at least pull out the Rogue game or they will be looking back on what could have been.
5. Vitality (10-6) LW: 2
They seem to potentially be losing steam at the worst time. After a very convincing and needed win over a terrible Rogue team, Vitality had the lead against G2. Then they threw so hard that even Iron ranked kids were wondering what they were doing. This team losses focus and can be unpredictable. Sometimes that works for them but this time it crushed any chances they had of getting the first seed.
Now they have to fight with three other teams for the second seed. Luckily they may have the easiest schedule in the LEC this week. They play exceL who are no pushover but still need to be taken seriously. Then SK Gaming who may be fighting for their playoff lives. Vitality need to finish the season strong if for no other reason than self-confidence as they head into the playoffs.
4. Splyce (10-6) LW: 5
Splyce were playing like a team possessed last week. They dismantled G2 and then embarrassed SK. If they can play like they did last week then they could even win the Spring Split. Kobbe was playing out of his mind and will be looking to carry that over.
This week Splyce will have a chance to ruin Misfits Split while helping to try and finish second in their own. Then they will face another very hot, potentially even scorching team in Fnatic. This may be the game of the week as both teams are playing incredibly well and for playoff positioning.
3. Origen (10-6) LW: 4
It still seems like no one is talking about this team enough. After a 1-4 start this team has been crushing it outside of one bad weekend to go 9-2 since their bad start. Also they were beating G2 before it was cool. It is clear that whatever crazy plan Deficio had is working as this team had another 2-0 weekend.
They are in position, with a few other teams, to try and finish second in the regular season. Schalke will play them hard as they are barely hanging onto the 6 seed. Then exceL will play hard like they always do but Origen should come out on top. Origen also need a strong week for more than positioning. They seem to be a team that plays well off of momentum and having a bad week now could seriously hurt their mentality going into playoffs.
2. Fnatic (9-7) LW: 3
These are power rankings, not standings. For that reason Fnatic are second. Right when it looked like they may miss playoffs, a switch turned on and they have not stopped since. While Origen, Splyce and Vitality are all threatening to G2 in their own ways, Fnatic bring a completely different type of fear. They are like an unstoppable train as they showed again this past weekend when they crushed Misfits and exceL.
They still have a chance at the second seed but will face one of the hardest weeks of the whole Split. They will play G2 on Friday and Splyce, Saturday. As a quick reminder there is also still a very small chance that their last loss which happened to be a month ago to SK could bite them in the butt. If they lose both of their games and SK wins theirs then tie-breakers could come into play and Fnatic could potentially miss playoffs. For that very reason Fnatic have to win at least one game this weekend.
1. G2 (13-3) LW: 1
G2 are still the best team in the LEC but, everyone else is getting closer very quickly. Week 8 was almost a disaster for G2 as they lost to Splyce and were gifted a win because Vitality threw. They are not invincible like everyone originally thought they might be. Instead they need to find out what went wrong last week and fix it going into week 9 or playoffs might not be as straight forward as everyone thought it would be for them.
To end their regular season Split G2 face two teams on opposite ends of the momentum spectrum. Fnatic looks nearly unstoppable and Misfits could potentially be beat by anyone. The Fnatic game will likely be a blood bath and if G2 can make it at least close or win outright then they are set for playoffs. If they get beat badly and then lose or barely win against Misfits then G2 could be very vulnerable going into playoffs.
The ending of the Spring Split for the LEC should be extremely exciting. There are so many story-lines and possibilities wrapped up into two days. If this does not get fans excited then what will? Scrappy, desperate and ultimately insanely exciting League of Legends will take place next weekend, don’t miss it.
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