With the final week of the LPL around the corner, five playoff spots are still up for grabs. Vici, RNG, Bilibili and EDG have one last week to prove that they belong in playoffs. With spots as the top-two and top-four byes still available, the LPL is still anyone’s game.
Week 9: Day 6
Match 1: Rogue Warriors vs LNG
Rogue Warriors and LNG will start off the action. Both teams are no longer in the race for playoffs. Despite going on a winning-streak, Rogue Warriors fell to BLG, ending their race. Despite being the last team to pick up a win in the LPL, Rogue Warriors bounced back fairly well.
On the other hand, LNG has looked defeated for most of the split. After taking down FPX and RNG, LNG lost all of their matches. LNG will need to undergo massive changes during the off-season. However, a good performance from a player here could secure them a spot on the team next year.
Prediction: Rogue Warriors
Match 2: EDG vs Bilibili Gaming
The second match of the day has a much bigger impact. Both of these teams are still in the race for playoffs, but neither of them have an easy road ahead. Both are sitting at 5 wins, 3 behind FPX, the eighth-place team.
Despite having big names, BLG hasn’t impressed this year, in either of the two splits. And EDG is currently undergoing a roster rejuvenation, so they have quite a few unknown quantities. However, it should be stated that this is potentially the first time that EDG has ever missed playoffs. The loser of this match is eliminated from the playoff race.
Prediction: EDG
Match 3: Invictus Gaming vs OMG
Saturday’s last match will be one featuring two opposite teams. OMG has had a rough year. After nearly making into playoffs in spring, the fell in the final round. And in summer, the team continued to falter, and are now eliminated from the playoff race, with only 3 match wins to their name.
On the other hand, Invictus Gaming has turned it around. After failing to impress in the Mid-Season Cup, and having a rocky start to the split, IG have caught up. They took down TOP in a clean 2:0, and are now tied for second, with the same TOP Esports.
Prediction: IG
Week 9: Day 7
Match 1: Victory Five vs JD Gaming
JDG will face off against V5 to start off Sunday’s action. Ever since their loss to TOP, JDG has been on a rampage, and have since returned to form. Kanavi is currently the jungler with the most MVP points and is 2 points behind Knight, the overall MVP so far. Currently in first, should JDG confirm their top-two status, Worlds is just around the corner for them.
Up against them, V5 have recovered from their last few shaky matches. After falling to IG and Suning, they picked up a much-needed win against WE. Despite slipping a bit, V5 are still in the race for a top-four bye, but due to them losing the head-to-head with Suning, they must win here to remain in the race.
Prediction: JDG
Match 2: eStar vs Team World Elite
eStar will take on Team WE on Sunday. Despite a great Spring Split, eStar weren’t able to replicate the same success in summer. Now eliminated from playoffs, eStar can only hope to ruin someone else’s run. With only 3 wins to their name so far, eStar’s chances of doing so aren’t looking too great.
Team WE have had a fairly consistent split so far. While they dropped the ball against team’s above them in the table, Team WE managed to act as gatekeepers in the LPL. While their playoff spot isn’t confirmed, they are very close to once again, making it into playoffs.
Prediction: Team WE
Match 3: TOP Esports vs RNG
TOP and RNG will face off in week 9’s final match. RNG has had an inconsistent split so far. While the team looks better with the arrival of Gala, they are still lost and in need of a shot caller. The team will still need a while to fully recover from Uzi’s retirement.
On the other hand, TOP sat as the number one team for quite a while. However, last week they fell to IG in a clean 2:0, allowing JDG to take their spot as the number one team. Not wanting to lose their top-two bye, TOP will have to crush out RNG to not allow JDG to slip away from them.
Prediction: TOP
Week 10: Day 1
Match 1: FunPlus Phoenix vs Dominus
FPX and Dominus will get the week 10 action started. Dominus has had a rough year, missing playoffs in spring and being nothing short of a punching bag in summer. With multiple players switching in and out, Dominus never found their footing. Now, all that they can do is wait for the split to end and try again next year.
FPX has also struggled a bit this year, albeit less the DMO. Despite the third place in spring, they had a rough ride in summer, and still haven’t confirmed their playoff spot. However, with GimGoon’s return, it seems like FPX still has fire left in their fuel tank.
Prediction: FPX
Match 2: Bilibili Gaming vs LGD
BLG will continue their playoff run against LGD. While it may end if they lose against EDG, this is their next test. Even if they take down EDG, they are yet to beat a team ahead of them in the standings. And yet, if they want their playoff dreams to remain alive, they will need to bring the squad of veterans down.
On the other hand, LGD is in form once again. After a few rough matches, LGD seems ready for playoffs. Xiye, in particular, seems to still be in top form. He is currently tied with Jiumeng for second place in the MVP standings. Should LGD win here, their playoff spot will be confirmed.
Week 10: Day 2
Match 1: EDG vs Victory Five
Victory Five will kick off Tuesday’s action against EDG. With a spot in the top-four on the line, V5 cannot give up yet. If V5 wants to book a spot at the Regional Finals, they need to get at least fourth place. Anything below that would be leaving it up to fate, which is far too risky in the LPL.
Up against them, EDG will continue with their race towards playoffs. It is important to note that for them to still be in contention, FPX will have to loose to Dominus. With that being an unlikely outcome, this match probably won’t mean much other than pride for EDG. Hopefully, that won’t ruin what would otherwise be an action-packed match.
Prediction: V5
Match 2: OMG vs Team World Elite
A lot like the first match, the second match of the day doesn’t have much on the line. OMG have been eliminated from playoffs and the best they can do is slow some teams down. This time will also be players’ last shot at proving that they deserve to have a spot on the team next year.
Team WE also have all but confirmed their spot. With the top four teams being a bit distant, there is little to play for. It’s entirely possible that Team WE might give some of their substitute players some game time. This match could very well be the debut of Shanks.
Prediction: Team WE
Week 10: Day 3
Match 1: LNG vs LGD
In their final match of the regular season, LGD will want to close out the year with a win. More than that, LGD still have a shot at making top four. While it’s a long shot, it’s still possible. Should they crush LNG and Suning slip up one more time, they will take fourth-place.
On the other hand, LNG has little left to do. It’s been a fall from grace, going from being the playoff team that eliminated IG last summer to being second to last place. The future of the players and the team is unknown, and only time will tell what 2021 has in store for them.
Prediction: LGD
Match 2: eStar vs TOP
In a second match which should be just as one-sided as the first, TOP and eStar will face off. TOP are currently tied for second with Invictus Gaming but have one less loss. While TOP should have no difficulty in taking down the like of eStar, they can’t afford to be overconfident, lest they fall victim to a team with nothing to lose.
And that describes eStar. With the loss of Cryin, it seems like eStar’s shot-caller is missing. The team still plays with their chaotic style, but can often get lost in their own chaos. But a chaotic team with nothing to lose is a deadly team to face, so TOP must keep their guard up.
Prediction: TOP
Week 10: Day 4
Match 1: Victory Five vs Rogue Warriors
The final hurdle for V5, Rogue Warriors once again found themselves falling short of playoffs. In both spring and summer, the team started out poorly but started to ramp up towards the end of the split. While this is a sign of improvement, Rogue Warriors will need to improve even more for 2021.
Victory Five have had one hell of a split so far. Regardless of what happens in playoffs, this team went from the worst record ever, having an 0:16 split, to playoffs. All of the players and members of the org should be proud of their road so far. Hopefully for them, and to the fans as well, the team maintains their level of play during their playoff run.
Prediction: Victory Five
Match 2: RNG vs BLG
While both teams do have a chance at playoffs, by the time this match goes live, it’s more than likely that both will be mathematically eliminated from the race. Fans of both of these teams were expecting more from their teams this year, but neither team ever looked like a contender.
BLG brought over Fofo, a huge name from the LMS, as well as Kingen, a young top laner that competed with Smeb on KT. However, the team never clicked, and they never impressed this year either. And RNG, despite bringing XLB, a promising rookie from the LDL, they never got it together this year; Uzi’s retirement made the situation worse too. Both teams will be hoping for better things to come in 2021.
Prediction: RNG
Week 10: Day 5
Match 1: Suning vs Vici
Vici will face off against Suning next Friday. While Vici still has a shot at making it to playoffs, it is very slim. They will need to get a clean 2:0 versus Suning if they want to have any hope to make it in. Once again, it seems like Vici will fall just short of playoffs.
On the other hand, Suning has turned it around for summer. After also falling just short in spring, Suning picked it up for the Summer Split. On the cusp of confirming their top-four bye, Suning still has a shot at making it to Worlds. To do so, the team has to first get passed Vici, and eliminate them from playoffs once and for all.
Match 2: JD Gaming vs OMG
In the final match of today’s article, JDG will face off against OMG. In their final match of the split, JDG will wrap up their first-round robin as reigning champions. After falling to TOP and RNG early on in the split, JDG hasn’t lost since. They had a similar run in spring. Will history repeat itself in summer?
In what will be their final match as well, OMG fans want this year to be over with. After almost making it in spring, OMG once again returned to the bottom of the table. With most of the players on the team having an uncertain future, it could be the last match of a few well-known faces.
Prediction: JDG
That concludes the preview of the final two days of Week 9, as well as the first five days of Week 10. Please note that these aren’t all the matches of week 10, and next Friday’s article will cover the last 6 matches.
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