LPL and LCK 2022 Spring Split Picks, Predictions, Odds January 13

• Invictus Gaming, Weibo Gaming start as favorites in their season openers
• Reigning LCK champions DWG Kia massively favored against KT Rolster
• New Nongshim roster aiming for continued success in new year

Invictus Gaming vs TT Gaming Pick

Invictus Gaming to Win

Through the course of 2020, Invictus Gaming were one of the most consistent teams in the LPL. That changed last year as the team struggled to find any level of consistency or fluency through the entirety of summer. In fact, Invictus finished 13th with a 6-10 record.

TT Gaming, on the other hand, were one of the worst teams in the summer split of 2021. They finished with an appalling 2-14 record, which included four defeats to end the regular season. They started the new split with another defeat in straight maps.

Invictus Gaming will be pleased to face TT Gaming in their split opener. That is because TT Gaming do not have any depth or experience that can help them down the stretch. As a result, this should be a rather comfortable start to the new split for Invictus Gaming.

A New Look Roster for Invictus

Invictus will have a completely refreshed roster for the new split of 2022. Most importantly, they will have new players in the vital positions of mid laner and bottom laner. Neny will likely occupy the top lane as he did for 18 maps in the summer split.

In that period, he managed 3.16 kills along with 2.53 deaths and 5.16 assists per map to earn himself a KDA of 3.29 and a creep score of 226.89. These are stunning returns for a top laner because it is not easy to have a high kill production in that position.

Xun will also continue to hold down the fort in the jungle. He played all maps for Invictus Gaming in the previous split, producing 3.46 kills and 3.22 deaths per map. Along with 6.08 assists per map, he earned his KDA of 2.97. He will be a key cog in the Invictus wheel.

TT Gaming Begin with Defeat

Thunder Talk promised a lot with their new roster but were simply unable to find any offensive strength down the stretch in their opening fixture of the new spring split. That will not please the management but this is also a long season, one that could turn around with patience and discipline.

Captain produced an average of two kills per map but was not able to generate much else as he was killed 1.5 times per map to finish with a low KDA of 2.67 and a creep score of 209. The team will need a lot more from the others as well.

Puff and Frigid averaged 1.5 kills per map in that opening match while New and Southwind only chipped in with one kill per map. In an offensive capacity, that is far too few kills, especially in a quick-moving league like the LPL.

Weibo Gaming vs Team WE Pick

Weibo Gaming to Win (moneyline)

Weibo Gaming vs Team WE Predictions

Watch out for this Weibo Gaming team through the course of this season. They have built a roster that is capable of challenging the rest of the LPL, not just through the regular season but also during the playoffs.

Team WE, on the other hand, have lost some fluency and zing in their new roster, which may lack the bite in the lanes of Summoner’s Rift to challenge these teams that have offensive strength right through their roster.

Even though Team WE are not a team to be underestimated, we can only make this decision based on the personnel on paper because neither of these teams have played a match yet. Man for man, on paper, position for position, Weibo Gaming are the team to beat here.

Angel, Huanfeng Key for Weibo Gaming

As you would expect, the mid laner position taken by Angel and the bot laner position taken by Huanfeng will be pivotal for Weibo. Both players performed exceedingly well in their previous split for Suning Gaming. Here are their figures.

Angel had 2.88 kills and 1.69 deaths with 6.14 assists per map. He also had a KDA of 5.34 with a respectable creep score of 254.71. Huanfeng was much better in the bottom lane, producing 3.43 kills at just 1.21 deaths. His kill participation moved close to 10 with 5.45 assists per map that earned him a KDA of 7.31 and a team-leading creep score of 316.95.

These two will be supported by TheShy in the top lane, who plied his trade with Invictus Gaming in the last split. SofM will assume the role of jungle and SwordArt will be the designated support player for Weibo Gaming. An all-around roster for Weibo.

Team We Lack Offensive Spirit

You might find that Team WE just does not have the strength and reliability across phases of the map to ensure they can generate enough kills to be relevant in the LPL this season. This will be a fast-paced league, and one that Team WE will have to stay abreast with.

Beishang will be the most proficient player in the jungle for Team WE considering he had the best KDA for the team in the summer split. Overall, he generated 3.53 kills, 2.38 deaths and 7.5 assists per map with a KDA of 4.64.

Biubiu has made the move to Team WE in the offseason from Bilibili Gaming. In that split, he generated 2.66 kills with 2.8 deaths and 6.12 assists. This helped him build his KDA to 3.13 with a creep score of 251.88. For a top laner, these are impressive numbers.

Hanwha Life Esports vs Nongshim Redforce Pick

Nongshim Redforce (moneyline)

Hanwha Life Esports vs Nongshim Redforce Predictions

Hanwha Life Esports will understandably begin this match as heavy underdogs against a team that pushed the levels of their own performance to a new height in the summer split of 2021. Hanwha Life Esports only managed to finish eighth in the split, with 7 wins in 18 matches and a map record of 17-26.

Nongshim Redforce, on the other hand, had a terrific split, finishing third with a stunning 12-6 record. That was not easy to do in a league that is as competitive as this one. They had a 27-19 map record at a win percentage of 59, same as Gen G.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that Nongshim begin as massive favorites against a team that has not found any fluency or rhythm right through their season. This might be another tough split for Hanwha Life Esports.

Hanwha Life Esports Make Personnel Changes

As expected after a tough split, Hanwha Life Esports have made some changes to their roster for this split. The most notable of them was bringing in SamD as their new designated bot laner. Karis will now pick up the spot of middle laner for Hanwha Life. Both players did not participate in the summer split of the LCK in 2021.

While Hanwha Life Esports did not have a terrible split in 2021, they need to be aware of how to close out tight games. These are not easy matches against some of the best defenses in the world.

They had a map win percentage of just 40 in the summer split, winning 17 of 43 maps. If they can take that win percentage in their maps closer to 50, there could just be a finish in the top half beckoning.

Nongshim Redforce Looking for Repetition to 2021

After a stellar performance in 2021, Nongshim Redforce have only gotten stronger in the spring of 2022. They have made several shrewd acquisitions to improve the overall outlook of their roster as a whole.

They have brought in Bdd as mid laner from Gen G. He produced returns of 2.74 kills, 1.91 deaths and 5.98 assists per map with a KDA of 4.56 in the summer of 2021 for one of the best teams in the world.

They have also brought in Ghost as their bot laner from DWG Kia, arguably the best team in the world. Ghost had stellar returns of 3.39 kills, 2.09 deaths and 6.21 assists with a KDA of 4.59 and a creep score of 279.18. Aside from this, Canna has also been added to the squad, adding more than three kills per map to create a roster that could definitely challenge the might of the rest of the LCK.

KT Rolster vs DWG Kia Pick

DWG Kia (moneyline)

KT Rolster vs DWG Kia Predictions

Like Hanwha Life Esports, KT Rolster also had a subpar 2021, especially in summer. They finished with a 7-11 record, which was simply not enough against some of the better teams in the LCK. They had a map win percentage of 46.

On the other side of the form spectrum, DWG Kia continued to dominate the LCK. They finished at the top of the standings with a 12-6 record. They then went on to win the summer title with classy performances in the postseason.

Considering the depth of this DWG Kia team and the fact that they are reigning runners-up of the World Championship, this should be a cruise for the champions of the LCK, especially against a team that has failed to find any depth in the previous few splits.

Showmaker the Go-to Weapon for Dwg Kia

With Ghost departing, ShowMaker will be the most important player for DWG Kia in this split. He has been one of the best players in the world for a while now and certainly one of the best at his position dominating the middle lane.

In the summer of 2021, he had 3.67 kills, 1.6 deaths and 5.74 assists per map at a sterling KDA of 5.87 with a creep score of 283.14. His kill participation rate along with a low death rate makes him one of the most dangerous mid laners in the world. Of that, there is not much doubt.

Nongshim and DWG Kia have exchanged bot laners, which means Deokdam will take up the position of handling the bottom lane this season. He had a solid summer, with commendable returns of 3.39 kills, 1.65 deaths, 4.48 assists, at a KDA of 4.76 and a steady creep score of 306.72.

Kt Rolster Bring In Back UPS

KT Rolster have also made several offseason changes to their roster as expected after a tumultuous 2021 summer split. Their key arrivals are Aiming in the bottom lane and Aria in the middle lane, both of who did not participate in the previous split in the LCK.

KT Rolster finished seventh in the summer of 2021, just one spot outside of the playoffs zone. They had a map win percentage of 46, which is not bad, but they would certainly want a lot more than just being steady this season.

In terms of ability, there is no doubt that the team has the depth to challenge the rest of the LCK. However, they will have to find their feet quickly because this could be a long split again if they fail to start in sprightly fashion.

How to Watch LPL and LCK 2022 Spring Split