The first round of the 2024 LCK Spring Split Playoffs has concluded. In the opening matchup, Hanwha Life Esports dominated Kwangdong Freecs with a flawless 3-0 victory. Meanwhile, the second match between KT Rolster and Dplus KIA witnessed an exhilarating turnaround, resulting in a 3-2 win for Dplus KIA.
Moving into Round 2, the top-ranked teams, Gen.G and T1, will enter the competition. Gen.G, holding the first seed, has chosen to face off against Dplus KIA. Consequently, the matchups for Round 2 are now confirmed as Gen.G versus Dplus KIA and T1 versus Hanwha Life Esports.
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The upcoming matches will be a double-elimination. Teams triumphing in their initial matches will clash in the Winners Bracket to determine one finalist, while the two losing sides will engage in the Losers Bracket, where the defeated team will bow out of the competition. The victor from the Losers Bracket and the vanquished from the Winners Bracket will contend for the final finals spot. All matches will follow a Best-of-five format.
The encounter between Gen.G and Dplus KIA is slated for Apr. 3, followed by T1 squaring off against HLE the subsequent day. Following these matches, subsequent Winners Bracket clashes will unfold on Apr. 6, with Losers Bracket duels scheduled for Apr. 7. The lower bracket finals, deciding the last finalist, are set for Apr. 13, with the grand finals culminating on Apr. 14.
Irrespective of the outcomes, the two teams progressing to the Grand Finals will secure positions in the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational. MSI 2024 is on the horizon, set to unfold in Chengdu, China, from May 1 to May 19. Confirmed MSI participants currently include G2 Esports, Flyquest, and Team Liquid.
T1 enters this match as the favored team, with odds reflecting their strong performance history. They clinched the LCK Spring 2022 title and followed up with three consecutive top 2 finishes: at MSI, LCK Summer, and Worlds 2022.
However, the trend of near misses continued into the 2023 season. Despite securing second place at LCK Spring 2023, they settled for third at MSI 2023. LCK Summer 2023 proved challenging, as T1 barely made it to the playoffs, placing fifth in the group stage with a 9-9 record.
Their journey in Worlds 2023 commenced with a showdown against Team Liquid. Despite being heavily favored, T1 faced resistance, with Team Liquid holding on for 36 minutes and conceding only one kill. The tide turned in the final midlane skirmish, allowing T1 to secure the series victory.
In the LCK Spring 2024 season, T1’s dominance experienced a slight setback. They slipped to a 15-3 record, landing them in third place after an initially strong showing in the regular season.
Hanwha Life Esports achieved an impressive feat by securing a top-three finish in the regular season, especially considering the formidable competition from teams like Dplus and T1, among others. Their remarkable 15-3 record marks one of the best performances in HLE’s team history. It’s a rarity to see a team perform at the same level as T1 during the LCK Spring 2024 regular season, but HLE managed to do just that.
In the playoffs, HLE kicked off their journey against Freecs. As anticipated, the match proved to be a straightforward affair for HLE, showcasing their strength and dominance.
The teams faced each other a total of five times last year. T1 emerged victorious in three of those encounters, while HLE claimed victory in two matches.
T1’s experience should see them over the line.
This will be a close best of five with T1 to edge it 3-2
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