Most prospective NA LCS teams – Will OpTic enter playoffs?

LoL Esports
13/08/2018
Kieran Lee

Week 8 has just concluded, giving a strong indication of the teams to enter playoffs. While some may be extremely likely to enter playoffs, nothing is certain yet, allowing even some mid-tier teams to possibly make it.

NA LCS Ladder as of Week 8

  • Team Liquid, 11-5
  • 100 Thieves, 10-6
  • Echo Fox, 9-7
  • Cloud9, 9-7
  • FlyQuest 9-7
  • Team SoloMid, 8-8
  • OpTic Gaming, 8-8
  • Clutch Gaming, 6-10
  • Golden Guardians, 5-11
  • Counter Logic Gaming, 5-11
optic-gaming-na-lcs-2018-summer

© Riot Games

Most likely teams to enter playoffs

1. Team Liquid

Due to Team Liquid’s disappointing loss to the ever improving Cloud9, they are technically not guaranteed a top three finish. However, it is certain they will enter playoffs, the only possibility of failing to do so being the off chance Team Liquid drop both their Week 9 games, while Fox, C9 and FQ win all their games (impossible). Liquid’s last two battles for first in the Regular season will be hard fought, facing both Echo Fox and Team SoloMid.

2. Cloud9

Ever since Week 6, Cloud9 has gained some serious traction, picking up their pace compared to their extremely slow start. Their defeat over Team Liquid cements their position as a top tier team having won seven out of their past eight games, an unbelievable performance. C9’s two opponents in the coming week are by no means any push overs, the 100 Thieves and FlyQuest both being amongst some of the strongest competitors out there.

3. OpTic Gaming

While they technically are a team hovering around the middle grounds of the ladder, playoffs is a very sound probability this split. That said, OPT will still have to go all out in week 9 to enter playoffs, with their first game against the former top team, Team SoloMid, while day two sees OPT against the 100 Thieves. Considering some of the veterans in the scene are underperforming, this season is likely the best chance for OpTic to make it into playoffs.

4. 100 Thieves

The Thieves are at the bottom of this list, while they are only one win off playoffs, they are extremely inconsistent. Their previous defeat against FlyQuest, Team Liquid and Team SoloMid have shown quite evidently their games against the better teams are slightly worse than fifty – fifty. Being matched against Cloud9 and OpTic Gaming, both teams who have been unbelievably strong in recent weeks, the Thieves will have a hard fought time.