LPL and LCK 2022 Spring Split Picks, Predictions, Odds January 14

• FunPlus Phoenix seeking a 2-0 start to the new spring split in the LPL
• Royal Never Give Up looking to avenge opening defeat
• Gen G, T1 heavy favorites in their Friday matches in the LCK

LGD Gaming vs FunPlus Phoenix Pick

Fun Plus to Win

LGD Gaming are in a mismatch here against the might of FunPlus Phoenix. Even though FunPlus Phoenix have lost their star mid laner Doinb, there is still plenty here to suggest that this will be a fighting season from FunPlus Phoenix.

LGD Gaming, on the other hand, may simply not have enough depth to stay abreast with the rest of the LPL in a league as competitive as this. LGD Gaming began their LPL season with a loss in their opening fixture.

FunPlus Phoenix have the better form and confidence, which was evident from their win in the opening match of this split. That will give them plenty of momentum as this season progresses, and one that could end up being the difference in this contest.

Disappointing Start For LGD Gaming

While LGD Gaming made Anyone’s Legend work hard, taking their opening fixture to a third map, they were still unable to close out a tight game, which is problematic considering the season they had in 2021.

Three players performed well for LGD Gaming in their season opener, producing a high kill rate. From an offensive standpoint, that is crucial because this is a quicker moving league, and kills are a requisite to break down the opponents rapidly.

Shadow, Eric and Yeg both led the offense with 3.67 kills per map in that opener while Fearness chipped in with an average of three kills per map. That helped them create more chances and break down the lanes, but they will need to find a way to stay clutch.

FunPlus Upset The Might Of RNG

FunPlus displayed their strength and character with a new look roster as they beat the tournament favorites in the opener Royal Never Give Up in a thrilling three map encounter. That outcome will inspire FunPlus with a lot of confidence going forward too.

As you would expect with this FunPlus team, they were dependent on the services of Lwx in the bottom lane. He stayed consistent and steady, producing three kills per map in that opening encounter. You can also expect him to improve on those numbers.

Xiaolaohu was the most proficient player for FunPlus in the lanes, producing an average of 3.33 kills per map. He was not as effective in defense, allowing himself to be killed an average of 2.67 times per map, which has a bearing on his lower KDA as well.

JD Gaming vs Royal Never Give Up Pick

Pick: Royal Never Give Up (moneyline)

JD Gaming vs Royal Never Give Up Predictions

JD Gaming were not expected to upset the incredible strength of Edward Gaming in their opening fixture of the LPL, and the match panned out exactly like that. Edward Gaming blew JD Gaming out of the water in a comfortable defeat in straight maps.

Royal Never Give Up began this tournament as favorites to win the entire competition but they have not been able to muster much confidence, at least based on the evidence from the first game. They were beaten by FunPlus Phoenix in the first match 2-1.

Royal Never Give Up have enough depth and strength through their roster, across positions, to ensure they can sustain offensive firepower for the rest of the spring split. As a result, it would be a prudent idea to back this team to go on and recover quickly from their loss.

JD Gaming Fail To Match Up With Edward Gaming

JD Gaming did not have much depth to stay abreast with a superior outfit in Edward Gaming, who are reigning champions of the world. JD Gaming were not even given a chance across those two maps, which left them with too much work to do in other areas.

The team will be pleased with the performance of 369, who averaged a stunning 5 kills per map in the opener. However, he was also killed 6 times per map, which is far too much considering they needed him to stay compact ahead of team fights.

JD Gaming’s individual performances were so poor, in fact, that no player could even manage a KDA of 2. Yagao had the best KDA with 1.57 after registering 2 kills, 3.5 deaths and 3.5 assists per map, which is simply not good enough at this level.

Royal Never Give Up Looking For Quick Answers

Royal Never Give Up will need to bounce back quickly if they are to find some quick momentum. Their opening defeat was not entirely unexpected because FunPlus are a solid team but they will need to find a way past tricky opponents in order to win a spring split.

Xiaohu performed well in the lanes, producing a kill rate of 3.67 per map. He also had 2 deaths and 4 assists, which helped carry his KDA to 3.83 along with a creep score of 286.33. These were decent returns for Xiaohu, but there is a sense that his team is expecting more.

Gala, however, was the standout performer for RNG, with returns of 2.67 kills per map, 1.67 deaths, 5 assists and a KDA of 4.6. As needed from a bot laner, he also stepped up in creep score, with a total per map of 328.67, translating to a minute average of 9.76.

Gen G vs DRX Pick

Pick: Gen G (moneyline)

Gen G vs DRX Predictions

Gen G will open their spring split of 2022 on Friday against DRX. Gen G have been one of the most consistent teams in the LCK for multiple seasons now, which will ensure they take the requisite confidence and momentum into a new season as well.

DRX were blanked in their opening match by Liiv Sandbox, which will prove to set the tone for the rest of the split for DRX, particularly as this season progresses. For now, they will be desperate to ensure they win at least one map against a quality opponent.

With respect to DRX, I just cannot see that happening against this Gen G team. Gen G should dominate the lanes, should pick up plenty of neutral objectives and cruise to the nexus in successive maps as they manage a win without dropping a map.

Gen G To Deploy New Look Roster

As with several other teams in the LCK, even Gen G have refreshed their roster with several new players. They will continue to have Ruler in the bottom lane, one of their most proficient offensive weapons. Ruler comes into this season on the back of season averages of 3.98 kills with 1.59 deaths and 4.59 assists. That generated a KDA of 5.4 with a creep score of 339.09 and a CSPM of 10.06, stellar returns by any measure of comparison.

He will be helped along at various other points by other players as well, including Doran in the top lane, Peanut in the jungle and Chovy in the middle lane. All of these players have had previous experience in the LCK, which will be invaluable for Gen G this season.

For Hanwha Life Esports in the summer of 2021, Chovy proved to be immovable in his approach in the middle lane with averages of 3.07 kills, 1.88 deaths and 4.53 assists per map. He generated a sterling KDA of 4.04, which is the best measure of efficiency, along with a creep score of 316.88.

DRX Start New Season Poorly

DRX have brought in a new roster for this season but they will have to find form quickly or this could be a very long split again for the franchise. They began with a defeat in straight maps against Liiv Sandbox, which left them with plenty to ponder.

BeryL was the most effective player in their season opener, and even he provided a KDA of just 2.4. He averaged one kill, 2.5 deaths and 5 assists per map in the opener. Those are not terrific results, another indicator that DRX have a lot of work to do in the lanes.

Deft and Pyosik generated decent returns, including two kills per map. Deft even had a creep score of 321 and gold collection of 14.8k but there needs to be a higher kill to death ratio in the coming games for the team to have any chance against the might of Gen G.

Fredit Brion vs T1 Pick

T1 (moneyline)

Fredit Brion vs T1 Predictions

Fredit Brion will open their new split on Friday afternoon. They have not played a game yet in the spring of 2022, and will be looking for considerable improvement from their summer record of 5-13 last season. They finished ninth out of 10 in the summer of 2021.

T1 have begun the new split with aplomb, cruising past Kwangdong Freecs without dropping a map. Remember, this Kwangdong Freecs team is not bad, not by any means, but T1 will need to push the envelope a bit and ensure no upset is in sight with a strong first map.

Based on the evidence in front of us, this should be a one sided match. T1 is simply too strong, too powerful in the lanes, and they should have a lot depth in this game to ensure they could continue their winning record without losing a map yet in the new split.

Fredit Brion Need Quick Improvement

Fredit Brion are coming into this game desperate for improvement from their record in 2021, which was subpar by any measure of comparison. There are a few changes in that roster but will they be able to find their fluency from the outset remains the question.

Crucially, Lava and Hena will continue to hold down the fort in the middle and bottom lane respectively. Lava was solid in the summer last year, producing returns of 2.78 kills, 1.89 deaths, 4.47 assists at a KDA of 3.84, along with a creep score of 299.71.

Hena stayed compact in the bottom lane but could not produce enough in the kills column to make a considerable difference. He only averaged 2.13 kills per map, which was not enough even in a slower league like the LCK.

T1 Start In Sprightly Form

T1 began their new spring split with a terrific performance that is now starting to get consistent with this team. They breezed past a quality team in Kwangdong Freecs, sending a statement to the rest of the LCK that they will not be pushed over.

In that match, T1 were reliant on Faker and Gumayusi, both of who produced stellar kill returns. In fact, Faker managed five kills per map in that match with a death rate of 0.5, which carried his KDA to 17. Gumayusi was not too far behind either, with 4.5 kills, 1 death and 4 assists at a KDA of 8.5 along with a creep score of 320 and a CSPM of 10.27.

They were aided in the lanes by Oner, who managed a kill participation of 9, with 3.5 kills and 5.5 assists. If this team can manage to continue performing the way they have so far, this could be an exciting season ahead for T1 and the franchise.

How to Watch LPL and LCK 2022 Spring Split