Bduhmana & VampiricNarwhal’s Bot Lane Banter Presents: BOL Gold Week 6

Playoff Predictions

Top Tier Teams

1st: Glacial Void; 5-0 (10-0) 30 points

Undefeated going into the second half of the split puts them in such a good position for playoffs. I haven’t talked enough about individual players on this roster, because they are such a fantastic squad. I expect them to take the first seed into playoffs, and I want to hold onto the undefeated scoreline even. I do think that will be hard to achieve, because there are teams gunning for the spot, but so far this team’s been untouchable regardless of individual matchups or outplays and I don’t see that changing. That being said, Jel dominates the leaderboard, both solo laners are very in tune with what is needed for them depending on their matchup and team comp, and put up fantastic numbers for (just about) every series. Then there is Xiaboa and N00CHE, who have shown the most flexibility in draft and still among the top three for their roles.

2nd: Jolly Rogers Ghost Crew; 5-0 (10-1) 29 points

Jolly Rogers is only a single point behind Glacial Void and I am sure that has to be a contentious point for such a strong team of individually talented players. What’s more is that this group uses their subs interchangeably and none of it matters when it comes to series outcome. This is another team where their jungler has a big impact on gameplay (with all their junglers outperforming other junglers on any other team) and then I would say HardStuckBrotha and Dolo are the team’s strongest win conditions.  I am curious if they plan on sticking to a set five for the remainder of the season–which I do think could help them if they are trying for the first seed spot. I do think they end up second with their current trajectory, then they will end up second in Playoffs. 

3rd: LE Prime; 3-2 (6-4) 22 points

LE LE LE. I was ready to write that this team would take the second seed by the end of the season, because I do think there's just something about this set of players that makes it hard to think they will drop games moving forward. They did, however, drop a big series against Jolly Rogers and watching that series shored up some minor issues that are exploitable if teams are paying attention. I don’t think these are issues that require anymore role swaps, but I do think there is a need to look at how to clean up some laning phases for their botlane and sidelane macro if this team does want to compete with the teams higher in the ranking (as well a a couple of the mid tier teams who do this just fine). I think their strongest area for them is the Pizza Pasta Mafia and Complex duo and I would love to see them double down on that in some of their games where they know their botlane might struggle against a tougher matchup. If they can get to a place where their entire team is on board with playing through sidelines, this team’s potential sky rockets but that can be tough in this elo so it is a lot to ask (asking it anyway lol).

Mid Tier Teams

4th: OSG Tactical Freeze; 3-2 (7-5) 22

This team is above LE Prime currently in the standings, but this is a playoff prediction post so I am putting them under them at fourth place. I want to say more around why, but I have a lot questions about this roster and when it loses to teams they are not supposed to. They win very decisively against lower tier teams, and lose to higher teams just as decisively, and then they are winning series but giving up games to mid tier teams–and that is an area that needs to be cleaned up if they want to be a top tier team. With the meta requiring so much out of jungle, I am looking to materium to make this shift for the team. On paper, they are top three in the jungle in stats (just below Jel & TDD), so they have what they need to secure a top spot in the playoffs. That being said, it isn’t showing up in series where it needs to. I think where materium can spend more time is with trainergain and thisdudeiknow/OSG Novokaine. This is another area where I am not too sure why they have this support swap happening, as the supports seem to have a similar champ pool. I think what matters more here is ensuring that trainergain gets the champions they need to be dominant in lane, as well as the attention. I’ve seen materium show attention to mid and top with varying success, but I think if they want to be third, they need to focus on their botlane.

5th: CB Impulse; 2-3 (6-7) 19 points

 I have this team making playoffs at 5th place, but I have more wants than expectations for this team at the moment. I want to see this team have a positive winrate moving forward. On paper they have very strong individual players, and one of the strongest duo botlanes in this league (yes, I am looking at you Accel & Sword). That being said, they are taking wins off higher tier teams but also losing to teams they are not supposed to be losing to. This is fine if they want to stay middle of the pack, but teams below them are making changes to try and fight for a playoff spot and the second half of this split needs to be more decisive if they want to keep their lead (which is only a few points ahead of people below them). I will reiterate that Accel and Sword can carry this team and is a strong win condition, so I want to see the team play around it more. I want the drafting to give them more agency (while also giving solo laners more room to breathe), and I want BillyWillard to make the calls needed to ensure this is executed in game against lower tier teams. If they can keep taking games off the top tier teams, and sweep the teams below them, they make playoffs. But that is up to them to win the games expected if they want to be contentious in playoffs.

6th: CB Phreaks; 2-3 (5-7) 19 points

I wrote this before the roster swap, and decided to rewrite it after seeing Dean0 switch with Typhoon (and I will get into that). Before the swap, I had them predicted to make playoffs even though, on paper, they aren’t there pointwise. They did take a game off of Mercs in a very strong fashion, and showcased some of the strengths I have been waiting for this team to show. I think their botlane duo is their strongest point in the team, and I was getting excited to see the drafting change to give them the strength they need to carry this team series after series. That being said, I am not too stoked about switching up jungle (even if it is just for this week against Nefarious), because their second half of the split needs to be cleaner if they want to make playoffs. So while I have them as the 6th seed–I do think it is easily the most contentious playoff spot that a lot of teams are vying for and switching up rosters and not playing for their strongest players is where mistakes are happening. Fix that–and I see a playoff team.

7th: Fool’s Five Mercenaries; 3-2 (6-6) 20 points

This was a tough prediction, as they are higher in the standings than both CB teams. But when I look at the games, their stats, and individual players, I had a super hard time thinking that they can continue to beat the CB teams in the second round. This is another team that has roster changes regularly (and I am not sure why even–is it because of schedules? Internal conflicts?), but these changes are taking a toll on their overall wins for their playoff points and I can’t be definitive around them making playoffs if the players are just  gonna be swapped every week–especially when teams are locking in and playing towards securing their points. I don’t even know who to put for their player to watch, because as of now only CurryMunch3r (and QBall) is their most consistent player in each week. Since these maps are reliant on jungle pretty heavily before mid game, I would love to see them pick a jungle and stick it with the remainder of the split.

Lower Tier Teams

8th: Nefarious Demons; 1-4 (3-9) 14 points

Well it looks like Nefarious has finally settled on a roster and has exited (I think?) the mental boom era that plagued them week after week. Now the question is can they do the impossible and make a playoff run with this newfound attitude? Their games last week showed they have grit, but they still have a lot of inconsistencies to clean up if they want to be a playoff contender. I am loving the Pandorum sub into the mix, as it brings a lot more power in laning phase, as well as on the sidelines. That being said, the team needs to pay attention to the macro around their win conditions if they are going to make a playoff run and their current gameplay hasn’t shown they know when to step back as a team to let Pando do Pando things (which will lose them valuable games they cannot afford to lose if they want a sixth place spot). That is going to come down to shotcalling, and so I will be looking to Trashy to step up in this area without someone else on the roster having as much experience with this. I have them at 8th right now, but they could be the dark horse of the season so let’s see them get out of their heads and into the rift and clean up their macro to do just that. They are only 4 points behind the 6th place team right now. That is easily doable if they put in the work.

9th: Fools Five Squires; 1-4 (4-8) 16 points

It is so hard to place Squires at 9th place in the playoff prediction, because this team has shown a lot of growth throughout the split. They have some strong players, but it isn’t translating into series wins and that matters moving forward. That being said, the point difference from the 7-9th place teams is only a series apart of the 5th & 6th seed spots, so it really can be anyone’s game. I do like the change of GoogleMop as mid, and I do think they have a fantastic adc in Fugitive. That being said, if they want to clean things up, I think they start with the drafting. When they are drafting easy to execute comps, they are playing it a lot better than when they put in random picks. I am all for the IBSG league using their comfort picks, as that can be a lot stronger than meta picks, but not if you are not setting up your strongest player to win your series matches. I want to see them change this specifically, and I want to see their jungle play around their best player. GoogleMop is already doing a good job of holding down the midlane, and I would love to see more weakside picks for top to help ensure the jungle and objective attention is botside.  

10th: Hyperion White Rabbit; 0-5 (0-10) 10 points

Look–it is really hard to be in tenth place going into the second half of the league’s split. Even more difficult to have not taken a win in a series to date yet. And to see another roster swap is fine, but I don’t think it is solving the bigger dilemma. I am still trying to figure out what the identity of this team is, which would help me write how they can move from their current standings. I think if these new roster changes are to work, they are gonna need to have some drafting that plays around the only consistent players that have been in week after week–Chubby & Ghost. If CheckUrMiniMap gets a strong draft pick, and the solo laners play on their own, then they can try to play around them. That or left Chubby roam. Chubby can make impactful plays, and has on previous teams, and I would love to see Chubby given more agency on this team.

Week 6 Matchups

Hyperion White Rabbit v Glacial Void: 0-2

Unfortunately for Hyperion, their roster swaps are coming up against an undefeated team. Glacial Void is a very strong team that knows how to punish mistakes in game, and I don;t expect that to be different this week as Jel goes up against CheckUrMiniMap. 

If Hyperion wants to get their first game or series win against this team, I really meant it when I said they should be drafting for Chubby to have more agency. Whether that is playing around the botlane or letting him loose. Sylvie has looked fine in mid, but that against Tremmie is going to be a tough way to play without help from jungle, because Tremmie can and has just steamroll games with a lead and a champ that can roam.

Jolly Rogers Ghost Crew v Fools Five Mercenaries: 2-0

This should be a clean sweep for Jolly Rogers if they want to Vi for that first place spot. Mercs has been pretty crafty with taking wins off lowest tier teams, but struggle when it comes to other teams in the middle of the pack. And Jolly Rogers is not a middle of the pack team. They have some of the strongest individuals in the league and they will hand check you all throughout the game.

For Merc to create an upset (either by taking a win or winning the series–which is a longer shot than the one prior), I want to see them show more cohesion at least around their top player, CurryMunch3r. Whoever the jungler is this week should be playing around them, and I hope the coaches are drafting to ensure the jungle/mid matchup is a favorable one.

CB Phreaks v Nefarious Demons: 2-1

Although I have Phreaks slated to win here, I do think this will be my game to watch for this week, because the points from this series will tell a lot about playoffs. For phreaks, they started out super strong the first couple of weeks but lost some valuable points when they played Squires (who Nefarious beat last week). On paper they are still the favorite to win, but I will be looking at the jungle/top swap. I am not a fan of this switch, but I also think their win condition for this series isn’t the jungle but their botlane. If they can ensure Toastfish gets a good matchup, then they can focus on how they win–A1pha and CB Girthquake.

For Nefarious to win this, they could just brute force their way through the games the way they did against Squires and that could–in and of itself–create the upset needed for them to make the playoff run they want so badly. If they want a sweep, which they really really really need, then I think this is going to come down to communication and learning how to play around their strongest player, Pandorum. They don’t quite seem to know when to back off fights when Pando is splitting and that will get punished against teams in the coming weeks. But maybe not against this team, who just swapped their top and jungle. 

CB Impulse v LE Prime: 0-2

Given what I have seen from both teams, I expect LE Prime to sweep this match. I mentioned above that I think this team has the potential to end the playoffs in the third seed, and they need a sweep to really make that a reality. I think Pizza Pasta Mafia has been such a strong laner in the toplane and will be my player to watch this game specifically. I think Complex does a great job of knowing how to play around him when needed, as well as get to other places on the map–which I do think has a lot to do with just how powerful Pizza Pasta Mafia can be against his opponents.

Playing devil's advocate here, they need a win (whether that be a game or the whole series). I will say it again–I want their drafting to ensure Accel and Sword get what they need to make the win possible. They have beaten stronger teams, so this isn’t impossible for sure. That being said, this will be a really good test at where they are in the standings on paper and with execution.

OSG Tactical Freeze v Fools Five Squires: 2-0

I don’t think I give enough love to OSG Tactical Freeze, and honestly that might be my bad. I have them at 4th for playoff predictions, but they are very much a top tier contender team and could be third (or I assume they want higher even), and I think this week’s series will help give them that edge to fight for that. They need a sweep, though, against this team to show they can and are a top tier contending team. I am looking at materium to see what this jungle can cook up to ensure just that.

This is the week that Squires needs to make some waves to start earning more points. Even earning a win in the series could really help this team’s playoff chances, so I want to see that reflected from draft to execution.I do think their strongest player is QBall and CurryMunch3r, and I am not sure who does the shotcalling, but if they can empower QBall to get around the map more, I think they can create the upsets needed to start climbing and gaining more points.