DWG KIA is 1st team to clinch spot in 2021 LCK Spring playoffs

Defending world champion DWG KIA is locked in for the 2021 LCK Spring Split playoffs after mathematically securing a spot. 

After another flawless week for DWG KIA, the team is now on a nine-match winning streak and is starting to add some distance from the rest of the LCK field. With an 11-1 record, DWG KIA is already locked in for the playoffs despite having four weeks of the regular split remaining. DWG KIA still has a total of six best-of-three series to go, but can now play without a worry of missing the playoffs. The world champions will still be fighting hard to keep the first seed, which seems likely in their current form. 

It doesn’t come as a surprise that DWG KIA is topping the LCK charts, but playing a close to flawless split is still impressive in a league packed with talent. Ahead of the 2021 LCK season, the competition in South Korea looked to be stiffer than last year but DWG KIA keeps cruising through opponents. With only a few slip-ups, DWG KIA is sitting at a 22-7 score in games, with fewer losses than any other team. 

DWG KIA has had a total of four series go to three games so far in 2021 and only a single match loss this split, almost all of them being against prominent teams. The teams who managed to take a game from the world champions are T1, Gen.G, KT Rolster, Fredit BRION, and Hanwha Life. All teams are currently in the hunt for a playoffs spot and could be potential opponents for DWG KIA down the road, except for Fredit BRION which is struggling near the bottom of the standings.  

Fredit BRION is the only team to beat DWG KIA in 2021 LCK

After a dominant run at the 2020 World Championship, followed up by almost sweeping the KeSPA Cup 2020, DWG KIA is continuing its dominance in 2021. In fact, DWG KIA has only lost a single series in 2021 and it’s a very unusual one. 

The only team to beat DWG KIA in a best-of-three this year is none other than Fredit BRION. The win for Fredit BRION will likely be remembered as one of the biggest upsets of 2021, and for good reason. The struggling team won in 2-0 fashion, catching DWG KIA on a really bad day. Since then, Fredit BRION hasn’t been able to carry on the momentum and is stuck in ninth place with a 3-8 record. 

The takeaway from the series is that DWG KIA isn’t unbeatable, but it takes a lot to secure a win. When the playoffs start, it will be even harder in a best-of-five format. 

DWG KIA will play its next game on March 6 against Afreeca Freecs. If the star-packed team manages to continue this dominance, this split could be even more dominant than its 2020 LCK Summer Split.   

When is the 2021 LCK Spring Split playoffs?

The 2021 LCK Spring Split playoffs will start on March 31. With only four weeks left of the regular split, teams in the LCK will be fighting hard to make the playoffs. Six teams in total will advance to fight for the LCK trophy, with the grand final being played on April 10.