
The end of the 2022 LCK Spring regular split is getting close, meaning that the race for the best playoff seeds has kicked into gear.Â
Two teams that will be fighting hard against each other are Gen.G and DWG KIA, who are currently at the top of the standings and looking to stay in the top three. Gen.G will enter this eighth week with a solid advantage, while DWG KIA is two wins behind but could catch up if it manages to take down Gen.G for the first time this season.
Despite being ahead in the standings, it won’t be Gen.G who enters this match with momentum on its side. It will instead be DWG KIA, which is currently on a three-series winning streak after taking down the likes of Kwangdong Freecs, Liiv SANDBOX, and Hanwha Life Esports.Â
These wins have all been important for the defending LCK champion who didn’t start the season very well. With several new young players on the roster, it has taken time for DWG KIA to find its groove. But now it’s finally starting to look like the team is clicking the way it should. This makes for an exciting match against Gen.G, which is a team full of star players and with a level of play that only a few teams can compete with.Â
So far Gen.G has mostly struggled against T1 while beating other teams. Gen.G has lately been dropping games to teams that they shouldn’t, which is where DWG KIA could come in and play spoiler as the underdog going into this match.
In the current meta, it’s always crucial to get the bot lane rolling. This is also the case in this match, where some of the biggest carry potential is in the bot lane. Gen.G bot laner Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk is notorious for stepping up in a hyper-carry meta, and that’s something he has also proven this season. This possibly makes him the most important player for Gen.G in this match, with a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver.Â
The same goes for DWG KIA’s Seo “deokdam” Dae-gil, who will be tested heavily while going up against Ruler. deokdam has had some great matches on the likes of Jinx and Caitlyn recently which will be needed when facing Gen.G.Â
If deokdam can deliver on the level that he has shown recently, then he might be the key to cracking Gen.G. The strength of DWG KIA in the jungle and mid lane is already known, leaving Gen.G’s big edge in the bot lane. If DWG KIA can shut down that lane, then it’s starting to look like an even playing field when the two teams hit Summoner’s Rift.Â
It will obviously be a big task for DWG KIA to win this match despite its recent winning streak, but at the same time, it’s a match that could turn out to be closer than expected. Gen.G will be the favorite going into this, but fans could very well be looking at a three-game thriller.Â
Gen.G roster:Â
DWG KIA roster:Â
For DWG KIA to make an upset in this match the players will have to play up to their best individually. This goes for the bot lane, especially where deokdam and support Kim “Kellin” Hyeong-gyu will have to be on point. If that is the case, then everything is indicating that this will be a tight best-of-three series that will go the distance.Â
When predicting a winner the value still lies in Gen.G, despite the bookmakers making the team an underdog for this match. This might be based on recent performance, but Gen.G has still performed better this season overall. Seeing a roster like Gen.G being the underdog is a rare sight, making the value in going with Gen.G as the winner very high. We might predict that Gen.G will walk away with a victory in this match in a 2-1 fashion.Â
For the odds, DWG KIA has been put at odds of 1.61 going into this match while a win for Gen.G will be at surprisingly high odds of 2.17. It’s rare to see such high odds on Gen.G, which is worth taking advantage of.Â
DWG KIA will clash with Gen.G in the LCK on Wednesday, March 9.
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