{"id":3560,"date":"2020-03-26T13:07:34","date_gmt":"2020-03-26T13:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ginx.tv\/lec-spring-2020-playoffs-power-ranking"},"modified":"2024-07-20T12:58:39","modified_gmt":"2024-07-20T12:58:39","slug":"lec-spring-2020-playoffs-power-ranking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ginx.tv\/en\/league-of-legends\/lec-spring-2020-playoffs-power-ranking","title":{"rendered":"LEC Spring 2020 Week 8: Playoffs power ranking"},"content":{"rendered":"

After G2’s defeat of Excel in Week 8, knocking the fresh-faced hopefuls out of contention for their first ever playoffs spot, the LEC’s top six<\/a> are locked and loaded for a playoffs spot.<\/p>\n

With the LEC’s new playoffs format for 2020 (an explanation of which can be found here<\/a>), seeding is now more important than ever.<\/p>\n

With G2 leading the table with a clean 13-3 record, it is up to the rest of Europe’s contenders to catch up with last year’s world finalists, and secure themselves that all important first place seed leading into the playoff bracket.<\/p>\n

Here is our comprehensive guide to the LEC’s playoff teams, comparing our pre-season power ranking<\/a> to actual league performance.<\/p>\n

1. G2 Esports<\/h2>\n

At the start of the season, most fans would have told you you were trolling if G2 didn’t take the first place spot in your power ranking.<\/p>\n

However, although they still hold a clear first place – with 2-0 records against second place teams Fnatic and Origen – their wins have not come in the dominating, oppressive style the team was known for during their almost grand slam in both regional and international competitions throughout 2019.<\/p>\n

Dropping games to teams who couldn’t qualify for playoffs has left G2 looking a little shaky as they head into the later stages of the Spring Split.<\/p>\n

However, in an interview with coach Fabian “GrabbZ” Lohmann, G2 fans were informed that the team’s main aim for Spring 2020 was “avoiding burnout” rather than securing a clear first place – meaning we may see a more focused performance from the all-star lineup now the competition has begun to heat up.<\/p>\n

\"LEC
\nG2 Esports haven’t quite dominated as many expected (Picture: Lolesports)<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Fnatic<\/h2>\n

One of Europe’s most well-established and popular teams, it comes as little surprise that Fnatic come in at such a close second in the playoff race.<\/p>\n

Despite the loss of their jungler Mads “Broxah” Brock-Petersen to the LCS’s Team Liquid in the 2020 preseason, the team has gone from strength to strength with the introduction of ex-SK jungler Oskar “Selfmade” Boderek, and ex-player turned coach Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre Rodriguez to the squad.<\/p>\n

Despite a somewhat shaky start, Fnatic are one of the only two teams in the league to have not suffered an 0-2 week; however, they have not yet managed to defeat G2, the only team standing in their way to a first place finish.<\/p>\n

Their creative drafting choices, particularly for top laner Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau, have stood out in a meta that has already settled around a few key champions, with Zac, Singed and Rengar top lane all standing out in a world dominated by Sett and Ornn.<\/p>\n

This creativity will serve them well moving into a best of 5 format, in which clever drafts can turn the tides on a losing series.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Origen<\/h2>\n

Origen are somewhat of an enigma within the LEC – with a win record equalling Fnatic’s, they are clearly an excellent team, yet their style is completely the opposite to other top teams.<\/p>\n

They are one of the few teams drafting for scaling in the current meta – and this repetitive style is why they rank lower on this list than Fnatic, despite their apparently equal skill.<\/p>\n

In a best of five game format, adapting is absolutely crucial; Origen’s style is not one that works well game after game.<\/p>\n

Despite their drafting flexibility, and notoriously wide champion pool of mid laner Erlend “Nukeduck” Våtevik Holm, their style of passively laning and waiting for late game team-fights is one that can easily be exploited after one or two games to learn the team’s tendencies.<\/p>\n

This lack of in-game adaptation, although easily securing wins against lower-tier teams, may be their undoing against the top six.<\/p>\n

\"Origen
\nCould Origen surprise in the playoffs? (Picture: Lolesports) <\/span><\/p>\n

4. MAD Lions<\/h2>\n

In our pre-season power rankings<\/a>, we placed MAD Lions in tenth place due to their almost completely unknown roster – and boy, how wrong we were.<\/p>\n

This team of rookies has stepped up to the plate time and time again against more experienced competition, and secured a well-deserved fourth place spot in the playoffs race.<\/p>\n

The strength of this team comes from their bottom lane, with support Norman “Kaiser” Kaiser achieving 75% kill participation over the course of the split so far due to his roaming play style alongside jungler Zhiquiang “Shad0w” Zhao.<\/p>\n

It is hard to know what to expect for such a young roster heading into a best of five format, where experience and level-headedness are two of the most important qualities.<\/p>\n

However, if the team’s coaching staff have measures in place to control nerves, then this team is looking scarier than ever in the run up to the season’s end.<\/p>\n

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Thanks to @G2esports<\/a>‘ win today, our spot in the #LEC<\/a> Spring Playoffs is locked!<\/p>\n

GG’s @OromeLoL<\/a>, @shadowlol<\/a>, @Humanoiidd51<\/a>, @Carzzylol<\/a> & @KaiserLoL<\/a> on a great split so far. Let’s 2-0 next week and get that double elimination seeding 👀#goMAD<\/a>#MADWIN<\/a>#LEC<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/gH8I0zosYc<\/a><\/p>\n

— MAD Lions LoL English (@MADLions_LoLEN) March 21, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n