LCS 2022 Spring Split Picks, Predictions, Odds March 12

• The LCS rolls on this weekend with another two rounds from week 6
• Team Liquid and Cloud9 are jointly atop the LCS’ spring standings right now
• Cloud9 expected to cruise past Immortals in their match on Saturday

Pick: 100 Thieves (moneyline)

Golden Guardians vs 100 Thieves Predictions

It is a tightly packed 10-team pool, with no team, barring Cloud9 and Team Liquid, in a position to breathe easy. 100 Thieves and Golden Guardians are among those who will need to pull their socks up pretty quickly as we head into the second half of the 2022 Spring Split.

Golden Guardians are in a three-way race in fifth spot, with five wins and six losses. Things have gotten increasingly tougher for them as the season has progressed, and their slide down the table has been a gradual one. They’re now on the back of two successive losses too. So a rebound at this time will give them a much-needed lift.

100 Thieves are clear of the log jam in the middle, and have a win more. They currently sit at fourth spot with a 6-5 record, and are breathing down FlyQuest’s neck to enter the top three. They’re coming off a win in their previous game and will want to build on it.

Golden Guardians are clearly against the odds for this one. Their mid-season slump hasn’t helped their cause with the bookmakers. That said, make no mistake. These are two evenly-matched teams. If Golden Guardians get a bit of luck going their way, there’s no reason why they can’t beat 100 Thieves.

A Tale Of Two Contrasts

Golden Guardians have been sensational when things have gone their way, and ordinary when things haven’t. Their snatching of an improbable win over Immortals last week, where one decisive team fight helped them snowball a comeback, falls in the ‘sensational category’. Their loss to Cloud9, who extended their winning run to five games in a row, falls in the ‘ordinary’ bracket.

Things began veering towards Cloud9 almost immediately, when Golden Guardians gave up both Hecarim to Blaber and Gnar to Cloud9’s top laner Summit. From there on, they reached a point of no return and things quickly slipped from their grasp.

FlyQuest vs Counter Logic Gaming Pick

Pick: FlyQuest (moneyline)

FlyQuest vs Counter Logic Gaming Predictions

It is a contest between two teams at two ends of the form spectrum. FlyQuest are third, with seven wins and four losses. Two of these wins have come in their previous two games, which means they’ve got some momentum to work with.

CLG have lost nearly thrice the games they’ve won. They are currently ninth with a 3-8 record. With two losses in their most recent outings, they’re searching for that one perfect game. They couldn’t have asked for a tougher draw, so getting in a perfect game is easier said than done.

CLG haven’t been able to string up any consistency right through. Their manner of defeats haven’t inspired much confidence either. Safely hinge your bets on FlyQuest for this one.

FlyQuest – Surprise Story Of The Season

On paper, Dignitas and 100 Thieves are more pedigreed. But they’ve shredded all these permutations to build a near-perfect season, where they’ve beaten better teams so strengthen their position in the top-three this season.

There have been a number of their players who have made a mark so far this season, none perhaps in the same manner as jungler Josedeodo, who single-handedly helped win them a couple of games.

Among the others, Johnson has been their best in the bot lane, landing 3.33 kills, 2.67 deaths and 4.67 assists, along with a KDA of 3.5 and creep score of 338.67. The hallmark of their season has been how they’ve pulled together as a group.

CLG In Development Mode

CLG weren’t expected to shatter perceptions or dominate the spring split. At the very outset, it seemed they were a team in transition, looking to develop talent, something they haven’t been traditionally good at.

This development roster was overseen by previous members of the Golden Guardians think tank.“ We came here to grow but we also came here to fight and play ultimately in the short-term,” said general manager Jonathan McDaniel.

The growth has been decent, in the sense, young players have profited from opportunities. They have also walked the talk with the fights, even if wins haven’t always come their way. In the Lock-In Tournament, they managed to go 2-2 in the group stages only to lose in a best of three against a pick-up roster from Cloud9.

Given where they’re at in terms of their development, it was a commendable result. It’s time to continue building forward and not be swayed by short-term results.

Team Liquid vs Evil Geniuses Pick

Pick: Team Liquid (moneyline)

Team Liquid vs Evil Geniuses Predictions

Team Liquid are joint-toppers with Cloud9. They’ve won four games on the trot to currently sit with a 9-2 record. Evil Geniuses have work to do, having been stuck in a mid-table rut with five wins and six losses. They’re currently joint-fifth with Dignitas and Golden Guardians.

Liquid have form, results and better plays to boot, and are therefore the overwhelming favourites for this clash. But LCS has been dotted with surprise results in the past. Evil Geniuses can add a new chapter to their season should they upset Liquid’s apple cart.

Team Liquid Building Solid Bench Strength

Team Liquid have been able to get to this position despite not being able to play their complete roster for the first quarter of the spring split, because of rules prohibiting the use of more than two imports per team. Going into the season, in addition to having the services of CoreJJ, Team Liquid also signed Bwipo and Hans Sama.

CoreJJ’s residency issues forced them to use a substitute in his place. Despite having to instead play with Eyla as their support for the 2022 LCS Lock In, Team Liquid managed to win the tournament.

CoreJJ is one of the greatest and most decorated players in the history of the LCS, and his addition has lent the kinds of balance teams dream of. All decks are cleared for them to play their best line-up. But in grooming a group of players to combat key moments, they have channelled the unavailability of key players positively.

Evil Geniuses Need To Translate Potential To Performance

Ahead of the Lock-In, Evil Geniuses were dubbed to be a tough team.The signings of Inspired and Vulcan, and their pairing with their own young line-up, had the potential to create a world-class line-up. When they went 9-0 up, this thought was totally justified. Not even when they lost 0-3 to Liquid in the Lock-In were there any fears of any struggles.

When they went 5-4 in the first round robin, it was established they are a solid team with excellent credentials, and that they could be better if a little of luck when their way. Two losses in a row now have threatened to derail their good work even if there is no apparent danger yet of missing the playoffs.

But they can’t always keep relying on potential alone. The ultimate currency lies in how you translate those to performances and they’ll need some soon.

TSM vs Dignitas Pick

Pick: Dignitas (moneyline)

Team SoloMid vs Dignitas Predictions

That TSM have had a terrible season is an understatement. A 2-9 record in the second half of the spring split doesn’t make for pretty reading. But in beating Golden Guardians emphatically, there were signs of them having rewritten a new template.

Against Dignitas, a side currently placed fifth, it ain’t going to be easy. Whatever could go wrong has gone wrong so far for them. It’s a perfect opportunity to build for the summer split, and use the remaining games to experiment and tune-up a working combination for later in the year. As such, this game doesn’t elicit much excitement because of the huge gulf between the two sides.

Over the past week or so, this gulf may have been narrowed slightly. So there’s still something at stake. Stash your cash on Dignitas, though. There may be a million reasons why you shouldn’t pick TSM. They have been the season’s whipping boys. On paper, this is as big a mismatch as they come. It’s TSM’s chance to prove otherwise.

Dignitas Riddled With Inconsistency

When on song, Dignitas can challenge the top sides, but they haven’t been on song at all lately. It’s been a season riddled with inconsistency, which is why their 5-6 record is a bit deceiving. They’re in contention for the playoffs without playing like contenders.

So it is really hard to predict how they will go. Key players like River, their early game catalyst, struggling haven’t helped. The rest of the side has blown hot and cold too. Offensive proficiency or the lack of it has been a massive headache. They’ve seemed a side that always flickers hope only for it to end in shambles.

Immortals vs Cloud9 Pick

Pick: Cloud9 (moneyline)

Immortals vs Cloud9 Predictions

Finally to wrap up your Sunday fixtures, we’ve got the toppers, Cloud9, looking to open up a slender lead. They take on eighth-placed Immortals, who are currently down 4-7, and go into the game on the back of three successive losses.

On paper, this should be a no-contest. But games are rarely won on paper. Immortals haven’t had the worst of seasons, but they’ve been far from their best either.

But they’ve shown glimpses of their dominating best, something they’ll want to do more regularly. If they can do that, they would have given Cloud9, who have now won six in a row, a solid run for their money.

Don’t look beyond Cloud9 for this one, even if the heavy odds against Immortals, a team capable of pulling off upsets, may be tempting.

On their day, they may earn you a windfall, but hey, let’s not be dreaming just yet. Perhaps they can sometime later in the year. For now, those chances appear remote.

How to Watch LCS 2022 Spring Split