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Major League of Legends is heating up, and today we're talking about the Chinese region, where the LPL Spring 2024 play-offs are in full swing. At stake is a trip to the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational and a hefty prize pool of $580,000.
Opening the second round of play-offs LPL Spring 2024 will be NiP and Team WE. Both teams are in contention to move on, but are unlikely to compete for the top spots in the final standings. Nevertheless, this does not make the match any less important.
We will see who of the NiP - Team WE pair will be stronger and will go on to the LPL Spring 2024 play-offs, where they will play against FPX.
Let's go.
NiP Form
We open the match breakdown with an analysis of NiP's form. They are playing as favourites in this match and the odds for a Ninjas win are at around 1.4.
The first tournament for the Ninjas was the LPL Spring 2023. There NiP took the top-13, which is not a terrible result for the debut.
- NiP roster: Shanji, AKi, Rookie, Photic, Zhuo.
After the Top 13 at LPL Spring 2023, Ninjas in Pyjamas resorted to stand-ins. They affected both the management and the playing staff. The changes were clearly beneficial, because in the summer split NiP looked fresh and deservedly passed in the play-offs LPL Summer 2023. In the group stage, NiP finished in the top 10 and made it to the play-offs, where they even managed to get through the first round and ended up in the top 8.
In between LPL Summer 2023 and Demacia Cup 2023, NiP visited NEST 2023. They didn't play seriously there and made it to the top 8.
At Demacia Cup 2023 NiP look quite good. They confidently passed the group stage, winning all their matches.
NiP continued to show class in the play-offs. The first match of the main stage was against the vice-champions of Worlds 2023 Weibo Gaming. And not just played, but won - in a serious fight (3-2). As a result of Demacia Cup 2023 NiP managed to get into the top 4, where "Ninjas" met with Bilibili and lost.
In the group stage of LPL Spring 2024, NiP, I would say, played better than what was expected of them. They finished top 5, which allowed them to go straight to the second round of play-offs.
Most popular champions Ninjas in Pyjamas
NiP's top line is taken by Jax (3 matches, 33% wins), Gwen (2 matches, 50% wins), Gangplank (2 matches, 50% wins), Jayce (2 games, 50% wins).
In the woods, Maokai (7 matches, 42% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 25% wins), Vi (3 games, 66% wins) were permanent.
The centre line was most often occupied by Sylas (5 matches, 40% wins), Ryze (3 games, 100% wins), Akali (2 games, 0 wins).
Zeri and Sivir peaked equally often on the shooter position. Both heroes appeared 4 times, but the former won all his games, and the latter - none.
Ashe appeared most often amongst the Spurrots. Archer was chosen 5 times and won 2 matches. Yuumi (4 matches, 75% wins), Heimerdinger (4 matches, 25% wins) were also frequently played.
Team WE uniforms
We continue the match analysis with the analysis of Team WE form. They will play as favourites in this match, and their odds to win are at around 2.8.
The season before last, Team WE frankly failed. The team took 15th place at LPL Spring 2022 and 17th at LPL Summer 2022. However, it was possible to improve a little bit during the LPL Spring 2023.
Making it to the play-offs of LPL Spring 2023 is already an indicator. Team WE won 8 matches out of 16 played to advance to the main stage. However, they failed to move further into the top 10.
After a very poor performance on the home stage, Team WE continued to play in the LPL, namely at the summer split - LPL Summer 2023. In the course of the tournament, WE managed to finish in the top 9 of the group stage, thus guaranteeing themselves a play-offs appearance. However, everything ended in the first round of the main stage: WE lost to EDG with a score of 1-3 and left the championship, having finished LPL Summer 2023 in the top 10.
Prior to playing at Demacia Cup 2023, Team WE also played at NEST 2023. It was another hybrid Asian championship where professionals and amateurs play in one place. There WE played very confidently in the group, took the 2nd place and entered the play-offs, but were immediately beaten by JD Gaming. As a result - TOP-6.
- The composition of Team WE: Wayward, Heng, FoFo, Prince, Iwandy.
At the Demacia Cup are approaching with an experimental lineup. Prince is NOT the core, but otherwise it's pretty serious. However, this did not help Team WE to get out of the group: at the end of Demacia Cup 2023 the team took the top 12, which is not a good result.
Team WE, being a mid-table team at best, managed to reach the main stage of LPL Spring 2024, which is a good result. Even better, they won their first match against OMG with a score of 3-1.
Team WE's most popular champions
On the top line, Team WE has no revelations. The team picks KSante (4 matches, 50% wins), Renekton (3 games, 33% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 66% wins).
In the forest all the same, more or less standard: VI (7 games, 57% wins), Maokai (3 games, 66% wins), Poppy and Sejuani 2 matches and 0 wins each.
On the centre line with no deviations. There are Azir (4 matches, 50% wins), Ryze (4 games, 50% wins), Syndra (2 games, 50% wins), Cassiopeia (2 matches, 50% wins).
The championship among shooters is held by Lucian. Champion appeared 5 times, but won only 2 matches. Tried to Zeri, but failed: 0-3 in three appearances.
Among the supporting champions, Nami was a success. She was picked up 5 times, and her winrate was 40%. Yummi (3 games, 0% wins) and Ashe (3 games, 66% wins) were also picked.
History of head-to-head meetings between Team WE and Ninjas In Pyjamas
Over the last year the teams have played each other 4 times and NiP have won only once, but in the group stage of LPL Spring 2024.
Predicted result of NiP vs Team WE at LPL Spring 2024
I expect a very close contest in this match. Both teams look to me to be at about the same level of performance, and therefore should play pretty close. But if I were to pick a winner, I'd call it Team WE, as they already have a playoff record.
Bottom line: WE wins.
