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2017 Spring NA LCS Playoff-tology: Phoenix1's chance to light up the standings


Parity. Whenever a North American LCS fan opens his mouth to sing the praises of his league, “parity” inevitably comes up. Parity has made for an interesting 2017 NA LCS Spring split, with the top team, Team SoloMid, frequently dropping single matches, and a brief glimpse of a defined hierarchy has only appeared recently.

Whether parity makes NA more or less prepared for international competition is worth its own discussion, but it certainly makes the final week of the regular season all the more interesting. With at most two wins separating one placement from the next, room to move up and down the ladder will make for a heated final three days of regular season before playoffs begin.

10. Team Envy: 3-13 (12W, 27L)

Best possible placing: 8
Worst possible placing: 10

Week 9 matches: EFX, CLG

In a rather unenviable position, with the new reduced size of the Promotion Tournament, Team Envy can avoid relegation if they defeat both their opponents in Echo Fox and Counter Logic Gaming. If Echo Fox then lose their match against FlyQuest, NV’s head-to-head advantage will give them the eighth place spot.

Despite low placement, both Echo Fox and Envy have surprisingly strong early play around their junglers. Envy should work on targeting Echo Fox’s bottom lane and limiting Matthew “Akaadian” Higginbotham’s movements. Counter Logic Gaming will be more of a struggle. Envy need to overwhelm CLG early and avoid situations where they group or open up Teleport opportunities for CLG by keeping top competitive.

Even if Envy control their own fate in a match against Echo Fox, however, they would still need Team Liquid to tank (following their recent descent into mad disorganization, something one might even dare to bet upon) and FlyQuest to beat Echo Fox. Given FlyQuest’s unreliability, that in and of itself isn’t a sure thing.

9. Team Liquid: 4-12 (14W, 27L)

Best possible placing: 8
Worst possible placing: 10

Week 9 matches: TSM, FLY

By snatching big-name talent, Team Liquid have made themselves seem even worse than before as they bleed through uncoordinated plays. Rather than address their problems in team play and Kim “ReignOver” Yeujin syncing with the bottom lane, they made a rash of roster changes. Their objective at this point appears simply to avoid relegation.

Safety is within their grasp, but to remain in the LCS, they have to topple Team SoloMid and FlyQuest and hope Echo Fox and FlyQuest perform poorly. To take on TSM and FlyQuest, TL need to rely on what they have going for them: raw skill. Unfortunately, with TSM making gains in coordination, it’s unlikely to get TL far. They might have to modulate their expectations to remaining above last place with Envy nipping at their heels.

8. Echo Fox: 5-11 (13W, 25L)

Keith and Froggen in Week 8 of the NA LCS (lolesports)
Keith and Froggen in Week 8 of the NA LCS (lolesports)

Best possible placing: 7
Worst possible placing: 10

Week 9 matches: FLY, NV

Echo Fox, like the previous two teams, are firmly on the outside of playoffs, but they’ll need to focus to stay above the Promotion Tournament line. Echo Fox made gains in their early game jungling, but still fall short in decisive mid game play. They seem deterred by Ashe cooldowns and avoid moving into the jungle to set up vision for a push.

To avoid the Promotion Tournament, Echo Fox control most of their own fate. A teetering FlyQuest sits ripe for the dismantling, and a win against Envy is a practical expectation.

7. FlyQuest: 7-9 (18W, 20L)

Best possible placing: 4
Worst possible placing: 8

Week 9 matches: EFX, TL

Now things begin to get messy. FlyQuest has the widest range of possible placements from eighth to fourth, and they have brought the widest range of performances to the NA LCS. With only decisive Baron calls and creative compositions, FlyQuest look like they’re grasping for something that will stick. This is the last chance the previously top two team has to bid for playoffs.

Luckily, FlyQuest are in a strong position with one opponent that can be easily upended by midgame Baron calls and another that can hardly keep itself together. If FlyQuest avoid elaborate compositions and aim for consistent and safe play, they shouldn’t be unsettled by Echo Fox’s early game.

If FlyQuest wish to aim higher, they can potentially hit the top four marker, but that would require the right amount of individual match wins over CLG, a configuration of 1-1’s between Dignitas and Immortals, and several other near-perfect happenstances.

6. Immortals: 7-9 (19W, 21L)

Best possible placing: 4
Worst possible placing: 7

Week 9 matches: CLG, DIG

Immortals, previously a top two regular season team, have slipped in this split. Recently, the team’s ability to play more as a unit has given rise to creative pathing from Joshua “Dardoch” Hartnett. Cody “CodySun” Sun has found stable picks that don’t rely on him engaging or getting up close and personal. The roster has begun to gel, and they should be set to secure a playoffs spot.

Counter Logic Gaming and Team Dignitas are far from easy opponents. Dignitas have begun to hit hard early, and Counter Logic Gaming seem capable of constantly pulling teams into 5v5s where they feel comfortable. IMT are best off if Dardoch can keep track of Lee “Chaser” Sanghyun and Jake “Xmithie” Puchero. Both set up a lot for their teams, even if they don’t take the role of a main carry.

5. Team Dignitas: 8-8 (20W, 20L)

Chaser is the jungler for Team Dignitas (lolesports)
Chaser is the jungler for Team Dignitas (lolesports)

Best possible placing: 4
Worst possible placing: 7

Week 9 matches: C9, IMT

With better coordination in the early game than Cloud9, we could see Team Dignitas continue their surprising rise. Initially forcing so many ganks top that Chaser and Kim “Ssumday” Chanho’s fails could piece together a comical highlight reel, Dignitas have found strength in keeping strong lanes flowing into the jungle to take control.

Team Dignitas should claim a playoffs spot, but with Immortals surging and Cloud9’s strength in Teleport flanks, they won’t have an easy time of it. Against C9, Dignitas should look to destabilize the mid lane, and against Immortals, focus more on abusing their bottom lane’s aggressive over-extensions.

4. Counter Logic Gaming: 9-7 (20W, 19L)

Best possible placing: 3
Worst possible placing: 7

Week 9 matches: IMT, NV

Once again, CLG have managed to defy reason and keep their team of synergetic anomalies near the top. This split, they have relied much more upon grouping, failing when Darshan “Darshan” Upadhyaha gets caught in side lanes, something that used to serve as his calling card. CLG’s charm comes from pulling teams into 5v5s, where Choi “Huhi” Jaehyun baits out poor judgment.

If CLG don’t get overwhelmed by Envy in the early game, they should put them down and stay in the playoffs zone. Immortals may be able to take a game, but CLG’s more refined teamfighting make them the favorites.

3. Phoenix1: 11-5 (26W, 11L)

Best possible placing: 2
Worst possible placing: 4

Week 9 matches: C9, TSM

The final week’s highlights will come out in Phoenix1’s matches. P1 play the top two ranked teams in NA, but they have a contentious claim on the number one spot of a theoretical power ranking. When roster changes didn’t upset their rise, it became obvious they have a strong core based on a surprising understanding of map play and the ability to split pressure or set up Noh “Arrow” Donghyeon.

Cloud9 and Team SoloMid have a reasonable hold on how to play 1-4 compositions, but when they make group plays, P1 are more likely to respond by putting pressure in the other two lanes. P1 will likely outperfom the first and second place teams in NA with pick compositions, using Arrow to zone rather than slay. It’s their best chance of securing a playoffs bye.

2. Cloud9: 12-4 (27W, 13L)

Sneaky is the AD carry for Cloud9 (lolesports)
Sneaky is the AD carry for Cloud9 (lolesports)

Best possible placing: 1
Worst possible placing: 3

Week 9 matches: DIG, P1

Cloud9’s greatest strength lies in Teleport flanks, but their biggest weakness comes through in using their jungler to coordinate with lanes. When Juan “Contractz” Arturo Garcia gets an advantage, it’s usually through the enemy jungler making a mistake, and not setting up plays with his team.

Despite this, Cloud9 have excelled with strong and stable laners as well as good 1-4 setup to secure Barons and execute Teleport flanks. Dignitas’ better coordination in the early game might upset them, and P1’s desire to split up their opponents could cause problems. It would certainly be an upset if Cloud9 didn’t come away with at least one series win this final week, but their top two spot, however, is far from secure.

1. Team SoloMid: 14-2 (28W, 14L)

Best possible placing: 1
Worst possible placing: 2

Week 9 matches: TL, P1

Team SoloMid is the only team that has secured a playoff bye into the semifinal. They can easily float into playoffs with their eyes focused on new patches, avoiding the mess that floods the rest of NA LCS, but finishing strong has its perks, since the highest seed should still enjoy an easier path to the final.

Even with previous teammate Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng on Team Liquid’s roster, they shouldn’t present much of a challenge. At this point, a strong gust of wind could blow Team Liquid into the Promotion Tournament, and TSM are certainly more formidable. Phoenix1, however, may be able to exploit TSM’s imperfect ability to protect their own vision in the midgame to maneuver around them. As long as TSM can win one series, they will finish the regular season at the top.

You can follow Kelsey Moser on Twitter @karonmoser.