Team Liquid moved into the tie for first place, following LCS Spring Season Week 2. They took down two teams that went 2-0 in Week One–Cloud9 and FlyQuest. C9 and FLY had shown some innovative strategies to start 2022, including Enchanters mid lane and top lane. This week’s takes became more “standard” and TL was able to clutch out the wins. Here are 3 takeaways from the weekend.
The stats are so skewed right now, because of the volatility of the meta. Some might try to point towards Licorice or Ssumday as the best individual top laners right now, but Bwipo should be in the conversation for the MVP only two weeks in. He brings so much to this Team Liquid lineup, and he always feels relevant in the game.
Bwipo never rolls over and dies, and he hasn’t shown many downsides besides maybe going over-aggressive at times. He was a big reason Team Liquid shut down Cloud9. Then he turned around and pumped out the poke damage against FLY. Bwipo has shown flexibility in the draft, item paths and in-game decisions. He’s willing to pull the trigger and go for the big play, often pulling it off. TL’s top laner won Player of the Week for Week 2. Expect more across the course of the year.
Team Liquid is tied for first in damage per minute globally (Games of Legends)
Whether checking for win rate, K:D, objective control or even gold differences, Team Liquid has shown to be a dominant team in 2022. Among major regions, TL’s 82.4 percent win rate and 1925 gold per minute are the highest. Their 70.9 percent dragon control is second overall. Their 76.5 percent Baron control and 1.61 K:D are third overall.
Team Liquid doesn’t appear that dominant on the surface across four games, but they are showing serious control. Statistics are not everything, and a lot goes into the numbers. However, Team Liquid have established themselves as North America’s Rogue or T1.
Taking down Cloud9 and FlyQuest only further emphasizes that Team Liquid’s mixture of meta and pocket picks has become the best of both worlds. Finding ways to utilize Jinx and Aphelios in bottom lane and Xin Zhao and Jarvan IV in jungle, while also pulling Gragas top or Zilean mid, has allowed TL to find wins. The LCS teams offer a diversity of strategic options that Liquid seems to be close to the center of.
Could Bwipo sport the roaming Smite top? Would Bjergsen’s Ivern mid be serviceable? Can Santorin pull off Zed jungle? They may be able to replicate some of these champion choices that others have tried, but they may not help in the long term. Team Liquid is definitely shooting for success and international opportunities, so they should continue sticking to individual pocket picks beyond Spring Season Week 2.
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