LEC Playoffs Predictions – Round 2 Edition
Published: Apr 2, 2019 - Last Updated: Apr 26, 2019
The LoL LEC Playoffs continue on April 5. With Fnatic gearing up to face Splyce and Origen challenging G2 Esports, the stakes are higher than ever before. Let’s see which teams will rise to the occasion in our quick yet detailed LEC playoffs predictions!
Fnatic vs. Splyce
Fnatic made a statement in their series against Team Vitality. Not only did they score a victory against one of the most unpredictable lineups in Europe, but they did it in such a one-sided fashion that they look nigh invincible coming into this series. Combine that with their strong synergy and immense individual talent, and Fnatic have all the tools to put their opponents to the test.
The resurging powerhouse
Fnatic are a perfect example of a multi-threat team. Sure, most of their efforts go toward enabling Rekkles in the bot lane, and the AD carry pays them back by single-handedly taking over teamfights and skirmishes. However, Fnatic are just as strong when they’re empowering Broxah in the jungle or playing around Nemesis in the mid lane. They always have multiple ways of targeting their opponents. That’s the main thing that makes them so scary on the Rift.
Their only weakness lies in the top lane. Now, Bwipo does a decent job considering he gets close to no resources. But he still has a tendency to overstep his limits and lose more CS than he should. And while Fnatic managed to get by without fixing their top lane issue, things will get much harder for them as the playoffs progress.
Of course, Splyce are the least likely team to punish Fnatic’s weakness. Their playstyle revolves around late-game teamfighting. Thus, they enter every game with the goal of building the strongest five-man squad possible. Naturally, this leaves them wide open to splitpushing and early aggression, so it will be up to Splyce to figure out how to shore up these weaknesses and get to the late game unscathed.
Scaling serpents
If you asked us to pick the single most important player on this roster, we would have to go with Kobbe. Splyce’s marksman is downright oppressive in teamfights and skirmishes, and as long as he’s in the game, his team always has a chance of mounting a comeback. His dominance is reinforced by the robust frontlining from Vizicsacsi and creative jungle pathing from Xerxe, who always find ways to set their AD carry up for success.
Yet Splyce have a glaring hole in the mid lane. Humanoid has a hard time holding his own top European mid laners. While he shows occasional glimmers of hope, he’s far too inconsistent to play around. Another issue comes from Splyce’s playstyle. They’re way too reactive as a team. And unless they find a way to ramp up the aggression, they will spend the entire series on the back foot.
PREDICTION: Fnatic will pick Splyce apart and win this match 3-0.
Origen vs. G2 Esports
Origen have come a long way. They started the regular season as a lineup with no distinct strengths or weaknesses. But they gradually built themselves up into one of the strongest macro teams in the region. They also excel at picking good spots to fight and navigating structured teamfights. Few squads can challenge Origen in late game 5v5s.
Solid foundation
Origen’s strengths lie on the top side of the map. Nukeduck is the rock in the mid lane. You can count on him to perform in lane and convert his leads into potent teamfighting. His dominance is reinforced by Kold. Origen’s jungler always seems to be on top of his pathing, and his mechanics are sharp enough to make him a reliable initiator in teamfights and skirmishes. Throw in a well-rounded top laner in Alphari, and Origen have a great 3-man core.
Their bot lane isn’t too shabby either. Patrik might the youngest member on the team, but he’s already quite good at exerting pressure in lane and dishing out damage in teamfights. Of course, some of this comes from Mithy, who helps out his up-and-coming AD carry with a combination of veteran shot calling solid and polished playmaking.
Yet even Origen might find themselves at a loss in face of G2 Esports. This is the most aggressive team in the league, and it’s common to see G2 secure monumental gold leads before the 15-minute mark. If that wasn’t enough, they’re amazing at pressing these advantages and picking their enemies apart with strong 1-3-1 setups.
The wild superstars
Much like Origen, G2 are at their best in the solo lanes. Caps is a force of nature in the mid lane. His ability to pull off spectacular outplays and consistently solo-kill his opponents is the cornerstone of G2’s strategies. The same can be said about Wunder, who has no issues securing monumental CS advantages and using them to become an unstoppable threat in the side lane. G2’s dominance is further emphasized by an aggressive jungler in Jankos, who knows full well how to get his solo lanes going in the early game.
The only possible problem lies in the bot lane. Perkz can be overwhelming when G2 are ahead of their opponents, but he can also make bizarre positioning mistakes when he has to play from behind. To make matters worse, Mithy had to deal with a wrist injury toward the end of the split, so it’s hard to imagine him showing up on his usual playmakers. Still, as long as these two don’t drop the ball, G2 should be in the lead here.
PREDICTION: G2 Esports will overwhelm Origen and score a 3-1 victory in this LEC Playoffs match. Keep in mind that the playoffs format was changed in 2019, so instead of getting eliminated, the loser of this series will get knocked down to the lower bracket.
Image credit: LoL Esports/Riot Games
