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The biggest tournament of the League of Legends regional summer season is heating up. We're talking about what's happening at LPL Summer 2024.
The play-offs are heating up at the prestigious Chinese championship. We continue to keep a close eye on what's happening there, and more specifically the third round of play-offs.
There, the WBG - NiP match is getting ready to be played. The winner will advance to the Top 4, and that's already a result. Let's see who will be stronger and reach the Top 4, and who will be one step away from Double-Elimination.
Let's go.
Form Weibo Gaming
Let's open the breakdown of the WBG vs NiP match with an analysis of WBG's form. In this match they will play as favourites with odds to win at around 1.7.
Weibo Gaming can be called a newcomer to the LPL, as the club appeared on the Esports radar and the big stage in 2021, and made their LPL debut in 2022.
As a rookie, the results were very good. Weibo made the top 8 twice in 2022, finishing top 6 at LPL Spring 2022 and top 8 at LPL Summer 2022.
At the last tournament played before LPL Summer 2023, the previous LPL Spring 2023 split, the team again finished in the top 6. It's not surprising, as the club has a great roster.
- Weibo Gaming roster: Breathe, Tarzan, Xiaohu, Light, Crisp.
Weibo Gaming very confidently entered the play-offs of the championship. In the group stage of LPL Summer 2023 the team played on the score 10-6, which allowed to take the sixth place.
Weibo's first opponent in the play-offs was Ninjas in Pyjamas, who made a great run through the group stage and then surprised in the play-offs, reaching the top 8. But obviously they couldn't win, with Weibo winning 3-1.
Weibo's next opponent in the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs was LNG Esports, who showed top flight performance in the regular season, reaching the top 2 of the league and almost beating JD Gaming in the finals. Nevertheless, it was Weibo LNG that LNG had to deal with in the play-offs, and that match ended with the score 2-3 not in favour of WG.
In the regional finals Weibo started their performance from the lower grid, where their opponent was TES. A willful 3-2 win was a key argument in favour of Weibo's advantage in this match.
Next up, Weibo played against EDG for a slot at Worlds 2023. WBG played quite a game and ended up shutting out EDward with a 3-1 score, earning a place at Worlds 2023.
In the opening match at Worlds 2023, Weibo Gaming faced off against NRG. The match ended exactly as it should have: absolute annihilation of the first team of America and an easy victory for Weio.
Next, Weibo played against G2 Esports, and this match was perhaps the most unexpected of all at Worlds 2023. G2 Esports outplayed their vis-a-vis in a mind-blowing series, thus sending Weibo to a 1-1 score. Spurred on by the loss from G2 Esports Weibo Ledgeili to host the stage in the form of KT Rolster.
Having hit the net 1-2 Weibo Gaming without any problems swatted MAD Lions, and after that went to play with another representative of the LEC - Fnatic. Weibo Gaming won the decisive match in the Swiss stage after falling behind by one card.
In the first round of play-offs WBG met NRG. The only team from the West only put up a fight on the first of the three maps played, but that wasn't even close to enough to give WBG problems.
In the semi-finals, Weibo met fellow vice-champions MSI 2023 Bibili Gaming. The LPL resident derby was one of the most colourful matches and ended on 5 maps with the score 3-2 in favour of WBG.
In the last match of last season WBG met T1 in the grand final of Worlds 2023. That match ended with a total beating of the Chinese club and T1's fourth win at the Worlds. And before the Long Sogpeg, LPL Spring 2024 played at the local event of the Demacia Cup series, Demacia Cup 2023, where they reached the play-offs, but did not move further than the first round.
The group stage of LPL Spring 2024 Weibo played surprisingly poorly, as for a team of this status. WBG finished the LPL Spring 2024 regular season in seventh place, finishing 8-8. In the first round of play-offs Weibo shut out Invictus Gaming with a score of 3-2. Next up was a much tougher opponent in the form of LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming managed to handle them as well, finishing the match with a 3-2 score. However, the next match, and it was the game with JD Gaming, everything ended. As a result - top 6.
At LPL Summer 2024 WBG Long Competed from Group D, where they took the top 3 and went to the top grid of the Rumble Stage. Already it was 5-3, which allowed them to get straight into the 3rd round of play-offs.
The most popular champions in the Weibo Gaming peaks
Weibo Gaming is not known for diversity in the top line up. TheShy plays KSante (10 games, 8 wins), Gnar (6 matches, 50% wins). Sion (2 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (2 matches, 50% wins) make rare appearances.
The ubiquitous Maokai is ignored in the forest (appeared only once and lost). But Vi (6 games, 100% wins), Elise (6 games, 60% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins) get quite a lot of attention.
The centre line is occupied by Syndra (7 games, 85% wins), Ryze (4 games, 0% wins), Talliyah (3 games, 66% wins).
From shooters like Lucian (5 matches, 80% wins), Varus (4 games, 75% wins), Zeri, Sivir and Caitlyn appeared 3 times each and only Sivir didn't win a single game.
Sapports: Nami (7 matches, 85% wins), Ashe (4 matches, 50% wins), Yummi (3 matches, 33% wins).
Ninjas in Pyjamas uniforms
We continue our analysis of the NiP vs Weibo Gaming match with an analysis of NiP's form. In this match they are playing as the number two with odds to win at around 2.2.
The first tournament for the "ninjas" was LPL Spring 2023. NiP finished in the top-13, which is not a terrible result for their 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, as NiP looked fresh in the summer split and deservedly qualified for the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs. 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 in the top 5, which allowed them to go straight into the second round of play-offs.
LPL Spring 2024 started the main stage with a pretty tough win over Team WE. NiP won with a score of 3-2. Then another win and this time against FPX and again 3-2. And with Bilibili Gaming NiP did not cope, but managed to take the map - 1-3. As a result, the top 4, which was a very good result for the club.
At the LPL Summer 2024 NiP Long Competed from Group D, where they took TOP-2. Rumble Stage LPL Summer 2024 was quite tough, and NiP took the last line, playing it with the score 0-8. They qualified for the play-offs after defeating Rare Atom in the so-called Decider round.
In the first round of the LPL Summer 2024 play-offs Ninjas in Pyjamas beat LGD Gaming on class, finishing the match with a score of 3-1. In the next round, NiP created a sensation by beating JD Gaming 3-2.
The most popular champions of 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.
History of head-to-head meetings NiP - Weibo Gaming
The teams have previously played each other 4 times in 2024. The score is 2-2.
Predicted result of the match Weibo Gaming - NiP at LPL Summer 2024
This match promises to be very hot. This is not the first time NiP have shown their competitiveness in a tough region like China. At this play-offs LPL Summer 2024 NiP beat JD Gaming and it gives a strong morale boost. Basically, the odds before the match confirm my words about a close game and if there was an opportunity to bet on the total in bo5, I would do so. But here we have to pick a winner, and I will believe in miracle run from NiP.
Bottom line: NiP wins 3-2.
