LEC 2022 Spring Split Picks, Predictions, January 22

• Mad Lions start as massive favorites against Astralis in new round of LEC
• Fnatic, Rogue also expected to cruise through to wins
• Vitality will face G2 in blockbuster match of Saturday’s games from LEC

SK Gaming vs Excel Pick

Excel (moneyline)

It’s early days in the competition, and that means definite trends and patterns are yet to emerge. In little play that has been possible, SK Gaming have lost two out of three maps; while Excel are currently joint seventh with one win and two losses.

But this is like a marathon and not a 100 metre dash, with each side set to play as many as 18 games in a double round-robin format. A win here will help either side establish an early advantage.

SK Need To Avoid Slippery Slope

SK Gaming enter the contest on the back of a loss to Fnatic, where they faltered from start to finish. Fnatic collected 64.7k gold to SK’s 53.8k. SK also managed to effect just 8 kills in the only map that they played. This was five less than their opponents. SK also managed to raid and capture just three towers, while their opponents managed to capture nine.

So in terms of form and strategy, SK ought to have spent considerable time and effort to chalk out something different, for they will almost be playing two games on the bounce, within the space of 24 hours, and don’t want to start on a slippery slope.

The J&J factor

Jenax will be key to their fortunes though. He’s in form, having delivered a creep score of 278, albeit in a loss in their previous game. He also effected three kills and three assists, along with three deaths. If he can manage to develop a slightly better ratio – with more kills than deaths – he could become a thorn for the opposition.

Jezu has proven over time to be a good support player. His creep score of 301 the other day in their loss to Fnatic was some positive to take away. His three assists and one kill also showed glimpses of his ability to raid his way through lanes. Teams will do well to mark out both these form players.

Excel’s Coordination and Team Play

Excel enter the contest on the back of a 1-0 win over Team Vitality. They landed 13 kills to Vitality’s eight, burnt down 10 towers to Vitality’s three. Finn landed nearly half the number of kills to go with three assists, finishing with a creep score of 297. Those are formidable numbers whichever way you look at it. He’ll be a vital cog in their wheel once again.

Patrick played an excellent support role by landing seven assists, while Advienne’s 10 assists was the highest in the game among players from both sides. It tells you how big Excel are on coordination and team play.  One side goes all out, another finds its way up the ladder in a coordinated effort. It’s hard to pick an outright winner, which is why the stakes are almost even-stevens.

Mad Lions vs Astralis Pick

Mad Lions (moneyline)

Mad Lions vs Astralis Predictions

Astralis need to make an upward move very soon. With three losses in as many outings, they are in doldrums. A win against a side at the top will rejuvenate them and do their confidence a world of good. MAD Lions have two wins in three, and are currently in the third spot.

Lions Hold The Aces

MAD Lions have built a roster brimming with talent that can intimidate and have an aura around them. Based on how they’ve fared so far, they will be hard to beat, minor blips notwithstanding.  They have momentum and plenty of confidence, having beaten G2 and Team Vitality in two of their three games.

So go ahead, back them to be the favorites once again if you must. Needless to say, your betting picks in esports is based on information and data available. And these simply point to MAD Lions having the nous and ability to rack up another dominant win. It’s for Astralis to turn their applecart upside down. And if they manage to do that, you could count on it as a massive shockwave.

What Astralis Need To Do

Beating MAD Lions can be a daunting prospect because they’re efficient and aggressive. And it’s because of this that teams have to find a way to sift through these layers of aggression. Astralis have set the tempo at Counter-Strike, becoming the kind of force teams aspire to be. It’s now a question of applying a similar template to League of Legends.

Concerted, methodical offense without being flashy, while having the wherewithal to challenge any aggressive move MAD Lions can spring up all of a sudden is key to standing up and putting in a performance of note. It may yet not guarantee victory; but they will definitely put themselves in a fantastic position.

Team BDS vs Rogue Pick

Rogue (moneyline)

Team BDS vs Rogue Predictions

Rogue are flying high, having begun the tournament with a bang. Three wins out of three points to them bring in cruise control, flying high without any degree of turbulence. Their confidence stems from having delivered consistency over the past couple of seasons.

It is simply a question of trying to build on this set success template that they have built for themselves. BDS are still coming to grips with a strategy that works. They are currently lying sixth on the table with one win and two losses.

With a set of new players still trying to gel together and find the kind of magic they have brought to the fore with other teams. That said, they shouldn’t be overly worried about minor blips.

BDS Hope to Ride Unfamiliarity Factor

Remember, BDS are in their maiden LEC season, and their roster consists of some impressive players in Adam, Cinkrof, NUCLEARINT, xMatty, and LIMIT. The coaching lineup will feature both GrabbZ and Duffman formerly of G2 Esports. Now, these are players that bring with them immense experience and tactical ability.  Take for example Adam, who had a breakout Split in Summer, finding over 28 solo kills.

Adam will rejoin Cinkrof and xMatty taking over the jungler and ADC positions respectively. This will be the first year for both rookies, who will want to bring to the fore their experience of the LFL and test themselves against some top sides at LEC.

In NUCLEARINT and LIMIT they have players who have adjusted well within a new team environment following the dismantling of Schalke 04. All members of the erstwhile team have found a new home either in the LCS or LEC. With Duffman and GrabbZ at the helm, this team has the potential to ride on the unfamiliarity factor in their first year.

Vitality vs G2 Pick

 G2 (moneyline)

Vitality vs G2 Predictions

Team Vitality are undergoing a sea change in fortunes. Once a side brimming with confidence, they are quite a pale shadow of their former selves. With three losses, they are yet to open their account in the tournament. What better opportunity than now to do so against a top side in G2.

It will not only boost them going forward but also being some confidence back in terms of executing their plans that have often tended to be on the defensive lately. It is as if they are afraid of failing, and when teams go in with a mindset of trying not to lose rather than going for a win, the result often doesn’t go their way. Now is a good time to correct that.

In their most recent outing, they were pounded by Team Excel, who landed 13 kills to Vitality’s eight. They raided 10 towers to Vitality’s three. Carzzy was among their shining lights, landing four kills, but he struggled to rack up assists. Labrov had five assists but no kills. It is this balance they will need to quickly find going forward. It is a question of subtle improvements in order to better their start. And both these players will be a key part of that.

G2 Have The X Factor

G2 is going to be a tough team to beat as you would expect from a champion side. They are among the better teams in the lanes with outstanding offensive proficiency to remain consistent and much ahead of their rivals. All considered, they will be hurting after a shock 1-0 loss to MAD Lions, where they managed to just effect four kills, even as the opponents landed 12.

They also captured just two towers – convincingly beaten across parameters. Which is why it is going to be really hard to pick an outright winner here. G2 will be the first to admit they were flattered to deceive in their previous game; only BrokenBlade and Jankos came back with their reputation intact. Now is the time to correct that come Sunday.

Misfits vs Fnatic Pick

Fnatic (moneyline)

Misfits vs Fnatic Predictions

And finally, Fnatic will have an opportunity to extend their domination at the top of the pool when they take on Misfits, who are in the mid-table jostle. Fnatic have three wins in three, Misfits have two in three. The teams at the top are so closely bunched that they’ll all be sporting for Misfits to win so that Fnatic do not pull away as clear leaders.

Misfits’ Players for Different Situations

Misfits have already shown the ability to bounce back quickly from a setback. Last Saturday, they were comprehensively beaten by Rogue, but in quickly vanquishing Team BDS, they showed subtle improvements along the way. After managing to land just 8 kills to Rogue’s 16, in less than 24 hours, they beat BDS on kill count by a 15: 9 ratio. They also raided 10 towers while not allowing BDS to come near even one of their towers. It was the kind of dominance they wouldn’t have envisaged.

Mera helped Misfits find their feet quickly in this split as he led the way with 10 assists per map in their previous win. Neon chipped in with 4 kills along with a creep score of 290. These are terrific returns for a solid player. These two were aided by several other performers, like Vetheo. If they continue this impressive beginning in their upcoming matches, they could be set for a deeper run.

Fnatic Sitting Pretty

Fnatic have so far notched up wins against Vitality, SK Gaming and Team BDS – all relatively under the radar currently. For a change, they will now run into a team full of confidence and a unique style that has the ability to counter all the threats they possess. As always, Hylissang and Razork are their key personnel in the offence, while Wunder will be pivotal in their defence.

What they do have a slightly deep roster, and the experience they bring together combined may help them close out tight contests. Both teams have several key match-ups and factors that could lend itself to an even money match-up for sports book traders.

If at all there is a slight advantage, Fnatic begin as favourites but that really doesn’t say much when two gun teams capable of fighting fire with fire clash.

How to Watch LEC 2022 Spring Split