The playoffs beckon in April after the North American League of Legends LCS Spring Split round robin phase was completed this week, so let’s take a look at the current state of play.
TSM take top spot
With the regular season over, Team SoloMid have claimed the number one seed, securing a first round bye in the playoffs as a result. TSM battled for first place all season long with longtime rivals Cloud9, besting C9 by a single series (TSM 15-3, C9 14-4).
After superstar AD Carry Doublelift decided to step away from the competitive scene, many wondered how TSM would fare against a series of teams who had made major upgrades to their rosters in the off-season.
While WildTurtle has performed better than expected in place of Doublelift, TSM still struggle at times to finish off weaker opponents. Just this past weekend TSM fell to the currently dysfunctional 9th place side Team Liquid, before defeating 3rd place Phoenix1 the following day.
Phoenix1 one to watch
One of the many teams to undergo a mid-season roster change, Phoenix1 have become a dangerous side entering the playoffs. Coming in as the 3rd seed, Phoenix1 have enjoyed a steady rise since the acquisition of Jungler Meteos. Thought of as the temporary fill-in for starting Jungler Inori, who has been dealing with personal troubles, Meteos has thrived given another chance in the LCS.
However, Meteos is not the sole reason for Phoenix1’s ascension as AD Carry Arrow has been the best Carry in North America for the entirety of the Split. Even while playing with different supports (as Adrian was traded to Liquid, while Phoenix1 acquired Dignitas substitute Stunt), Arrow has shown a keen ability to dominate no matter who is beside him in lane. If Phoenix1 are to go far in the playoffs (as many believe they will), Arrow will have to continue his dominance of the North American scene.
FlyQuest a pleasant surprise
A team with limited expectations coming into the season, FlyQuest have enjoyed a surprisingly successful Split. Formerly known as Cloud9 Challenger and even with five LCS veterans, many thought that FlyQuest were all but locked into a bottom two finish. Hai and crew have stunned the NA scene, however, by avoiding relegation and furthermore by securing the 5th seed in the playoffs with a favourable draw against CLG as a result.
Counter Logic Gaming have been widely inconsistent all season long, which gives FlyQuest a good shot of reaching the semifinals. Known for odd champion selections (Shaco, Mordekaiser, Blitzcrank to name a few), FlyQuest are sure to put on a show in the quarterfinals. If they are to advance past CLG, however, Jungler Moon will need to step up and show consistency on the top tier picks of Graves, Elise and Rengar.
Team Liquid perform poorly, but make changes
One of the teams that have struggled this season are Team Liquid, who find themselves in the relegation zone with a 5-13 split.
A big money spend in the off-season to acquire Reignover for the Jungle was not effective as the team found it hard to secure prolonged success.
After a myriad of roster swaps, Team Liquid settled on placing their former world champion AD Carry Piglet in the Mid lane while acquiring Doublelift for the remainder of the season to fill the AD Carry role. Coupled with the acquisition of Cain to be their Head Coach, Liquid are going all-in to remain in the LCS as they now must play in the Promotion Tournament alongside the top two teams from the Challenger Series and bottom side Team EnVyUs.
Even with their struggles, Liquid have shown signs of life, especially in their 2-1 series victory over top side Team SoloMid last weekend.
If Team Liquid are to remain an LCS team, Jungler Reignover will have to have a star performance. Heralded as one of the top free agent acquisitions when coming over from Immortals, Reignover has appeared to regress without consistent Top lane partner Huni (now a part of Korea’s SKT) by his side. If Reignover can show flashes of his 2016 play, Team Liquid have a fabulous chance of requalifying for the LCS.
