The Storm Watch Playoffs Begin

Mint CrashOuts(Demacia 1st Seed) Vs. Bing Chillers Winson's Winions(Noxus 4th Seed) 

My Prediction: 3-1 Mint CrashOuts

Lane To Watch: Bot Lane

Who are the MINT Crashouts(MINT)? MINT is arguably the strongest team in BOLE coming as the first seed out of Demacia, having only lost a single game this season going 12-1. I know it sounds like I am just glazing MINT up and not covering their weaknesses but Mint has the best team stats in the league easily at everything. And I mean everything… Mint makes the most gold a minute of any team in the league, takes the most towers, the most inhibs, and the most dragons, as well as having the least deaths, the most kills and third in assists a game. The only stat that BOLE tracks that Mint does not top the league in is CS a game where they are 4th. The teams above them in CS a game on average 3 minutes a game longer. If we go CS a minute MINT again clears every team.

On top of having these insane team stats, MINT also has every single one of their players ranked as top 5 at their role and you can find every single one of their players in the top 10 of a stat in the league. And it's not like you can go well the top side of the map is weak for them both Poom and P Dawg are number 1 and 2 in gold difference a game. WellShowThemAll is the 4th best ADC and the 13th best player in the league(top 10 in KDA, Kills, Gold Per Minute, and Gold Diff). Their top laner P Drawg is the number 2 top laner in the league has the 2nd highest gold difference a game of any player(behind their jungler) and does the most DPM of any top laner. Poom is rated as the 2nd best jungler in the league and has the highest CS gap of any jungler in the league the biggest gold differences and does the most damage to objectives of anyone. FrozenSpuds is the best support in the league with some of the highest KDA values, assist a game. Zuiy the teams “worst player” this year has been a league MVP multiple times and is number 12 on the highest damage a minute while having played Karma mid in 

Who are the Bing Chillers Winson’s Winions?

The Bing Chillers(BCWW) are one of the few teams that I had in my S tier heading into the playoffs and they sit as a 4th seed. I will say this however, this team can win against anyone and teams do respect them. I would argue that this team is the strongest 4th seed which is saying something when I think that every 4th seed is better than the third seeds. 2 of the lower-rated teams in Noxus straight up surrendered instead of playing this team. This team plays very much towards team fighting drafintgs tons of engage with Espada generally drafting towards true tanks like Ornn and Sion. This team also takes lots of Maokai picks that they flex and mostly rely on OTF27 in the mid lane to play mid lane mages while their ADC either All Gucci or Solo Mason play towards traditional marksmen. As far as their stats as a team the BCWW are the only other team in the league who have truly elite stats. They have the second highest team KDA at 5.4, they kill the second most dragons a game of any team, they are top 5 in every stat that we track from Kills to Rift Hearld taken.

So why is it that, despite arguably 2 of the best teams are playing each other tonight I have this series listed as a 3-1? Surely this series will be a 5-game banger you must ask yourself. The reason is that the BCWW are not coming into these playoffs on a high note as they lost their last series 0-2 in week 7 and even dropped a game in week 6 to Team Mid Only. MINT are the ego team, the team that will simply throw hands and try their absolute hardest to go for individual outplays, expect solo kills and snowballing. I also think that this can mess with the BCWW as if MINT are drafting for lane you cannot just pick scaling teamfighting, or you simply have no tempo on the map with which to make plays. Either BCWW are going to have to start playing things that they have not shown so far this season but we know that they can play based on their solo queue and other seasons (like fighters top lane for Espada) or they are going to simply believe that MINT will throw. And I do not think MINT will throw this team has played together far too long with too many wins to choke here.

As far as the lane to watch this series, I am looking at the bot lane. Both Frozen Spuds and WellShowThemAll from MINT have been playing some incredible League of Legends all split and are early adopters of trends like Fiddlesticks support. Ah0p and All Gucci don't generally play a lot of safe lanes eithe,r that duo is more likely to run at you with Alistar and Tristana or MF & Maokai than to play to scale. I am expecting there to be a lot of action and for this lane to be the one with the most kills before the junglers show.

The Shattered Spire(Noxus 2nd Seed) Vs. Conduit Gremlins(Freljord 3rd Seed) 

My Prediction: 3-1 For The Shattered Spire

Lane To Watch: Top Lane

Last years winners are looking to repeat for the Side of TSS and tonight they play Conduit Gremlins(CG). I have this series going the way of the defending champs for several reasons. Number 1 being that the Freljord division looked bad overall, and well we all thought that is CG roster coming into the season would easily win out. Well, they did not win out; they struggled to beat the other “playoff” Freljord teams going 2-5 across the 3 series. TSS, as I have wrote many times over and over again, is a team that has tons of draft flexibility playing everything from poke to split to team fighting while CG have mostly looked to play their same core champions. I have no idea what CG will play in later games of this series and it's a huge red flag for me. On top of that the stats favor TSS as well they make more gold per minute and have a higher team KDA.

Top Lane is where to watch as Synthwave has always been one of the best players on this TSS roster. For CG Aes has been a double-edged sword in the top lane. On their comfort picks like Darius and Ornn Aes has dominated but has basically been a non-factor when not playing the champions found at the top of their most played. AES needs to show up tonight and play some other picks well blind picking Darius and losing will be detrimental to this series and something I feel that CG needs to win with if they have any shot at taking this series home. 

Bloom Gaming Wisteria(Freljord 1st Seed) Vs. Draconic Spire(Demacia 4th Seed) 

My Prediction: 3-2 Draconic Spire

Lane To Watch: Jungle

Draconic Spire(DS) is coming into this series tonight with a huge momentum wave. They are the only team to have taken MINT to a game 3 and are 3-1 in their last 4 weeks of play. Bloom Gaming Wisteria(BGW) have easily been the best team in the Freljord dropping just 4 games this season. But despite their dominant record Bloom does not have elite stats despite their record. In fact, these two teams are tied when it comes to team KDA and dragons take a game. BGW has more gold generated a minute and takes more towers as the team with 7 more game wins. Lanes across the board for Draconic are explosive, it is the case of individual ability rather than team synergy like this Bloom Gaming roster. Make no mistake this should be a close series overall but I am expecting games to be complete blowouts. Players like Peanut or Saelor for Draconic can 1v9 in this series but if they cannot generate a gold lead the the overall utility and synergy that Bloom has will easily give them the win this evening. Honestly, I think this game will go all the way to game 5 and when Draconic is able to pick whatever things have been banned all series long i think that they will take it.

But the reason I and most other people I have seen are predicting Draconic to win is based on how good one player is Saelor. The number 1 jungler in the league with the highest kill participation per game of any player Saelor is not just a difference maker but THE difference maker. Karthrall for the side of Bloom Gaming is nearly the complete opposite of Saelor playing almost entirely for the team playing often as the solo front line, and is one of the lowest economy players for this roster.  

No Quarter Gaming(Freljord 2nd Seed) Vs. Conduit Sun(Demacia 3rd Seed)

My Prediction: 3-1 Conduit Sun

Lane To Watch: Jungle

I’m going to be honest—when the playoff bracket dropped, this was the one matchup where I had both teams mentally checked out by Top 16. These were the squads I pencilled in as first-round exits. But here we are, and one of them is guaranteed to move on. That’s the magic and the madness of playoffs.

Let’s start with NQG. They’ve been solid in the Freljord Division and are walking into this series as the second seed, but when you look at how they draft and how they play, it's clear: this is solo queue League through and through. The compositions are... chaotic. They’re not necessarily bad, but they’re definitely personal. You’re seeing champs like Kayn, Katarina, and Akali picked not because they fit a specific comp, but because someone on the team just wants to pop off. And credit to them—it works when it works. But the cohesion? It’s not always there. They’re banking on individual skill, snowballs, and massive gold leads to brute force wins.

Contrast that with Conduit Sun. I joke that I’m their designated hater, but even I have to admit: they play real League of Legends. When they lock in a high-tempo jungler, they follow it up with lanes that can support the aggression—priority, CC, setup. Their comps make sense. They spread their utility across the map, not just funnel it all into bot lane like NQG tends to do. Their games aren’t about heroics; they’re about strategy. That doesn’t always make for flashy plays, but it does make for consistency.

Both teams have standout performers, and both have players who are… struggling. So what’s going to separate them? It’s the laning phase. This entire series is going to come down to who gets the early leads. NQG lives and dies by their ability to snowball. If they get ahead, they smash fights. It's simple: get fed, carry your teammates, and close the game. But if Conduit can survive the storm and keep things even into mid game, their superior macro and team coordination will take over.

It might sound strange to say the lane to watch is jungle when junglers rarely face each other directly, but this matchup is a clash of philosophies—and two of the most influential players on their respective teams. NQG Yogi has been the engine behind his team’s chaotic success. He leads all junglers in kills per game this season and has had 12+ kills in six separate matches. That’s not a typo. These aren’t just Kha’Zix one-tricks either—he’s done it with Talon, Diana, Kayn, you name it. If he gets rolling, the game can be over before 15 minutes. He’s the definition of a high-variance carry jungler. On the other side, LLClasper is Conduit’s anchor—and arguably their best overall player. While Yogi is slashing and dashing through teams, Clasper is quietly building wins through control. His champ pool is wider, more supportive. Sure, he can carry on Bel’Veth, but he’s just as comfortable enabling his lanes with Ivern or Taliyah. He’s less about taking over games and more about shaping them—setting the pace, forcing favorable fights, and unlocking his team’s flexibility in draft.

Syndicate Soot Sprites(Noxus 1st Seed) Vs AK Hearts(Freljord 4th Seed)

My Prediction: 3-1 Syndicate Soot Sprites

Lane To Watch: Mid Lane

It breaks my heart to say this—as AK Hearts' Biggest Fan™, this isn’t the team that’s going to make a miracle run. Let’s be real: they’re not on the same level as the rest of the playoff field. I think a lot of us feel that way. That said, it’s not all doom and gloom. Okami in the mid lane and Pawjob at ADC? Absolute monsters. Legitimate All-Pro candidates in my eyes. XSoccer25X has held their own too, doing solid work as a utility jungler and enabling the lanes where AK Hearts can win. But the rest of the team? I’m not going to sugarcoat it—they’re outclassed.

And unfortunately for them, they’re going up against what I believe is the best team on the right side of the bracket: the Syndicate Soot Sprites. The Soot Sprites are that team—the one you hate to play against. Not because they’re toxic or pause all the time, but because they force you to play perfect League. They absorb pressure, play slow and methodical, and drag you into late-game scenarios where they just don’t lose. Their understanding of macro, tempo, and spacing is top-tier. They know where to be and when to be there. They make the map feel small. That said, there’s one wrinkle to keep an eye on: QREW, their starting support, is no longer in the lineup. That’s not just a name on a spreadsheet—that’s a shot-caller, a vision controller, and a key piece of their late-game setups. Without QREW, the Soot Sprites aren’t invincible. If AK Hearts find an opening, that’s likely where it comes from: punishing overextended side lanes or catching the new support slacking on rotations or vision control.

From a pure stats perspective, Soot Sprites are dominant. They die less, take more objectives, and generate more gold per minute. They don’t necessarily win with flash—they win with fundamentals. Still, AK Hearts do lead in dragon control, and that matters. If the game goes late and dragons start stacking up, Soul becomes the win condition. That’s the arena where this game will be decided—big 5v5s over Elder or Soul point. Let’s be real—Syndicate Soot Sprites are the favorites for a reason. They have the better record, stronger team stats, and fewer weak points. They force their opponents to play by their rules. But if AK Hearts have a chance in this series, it’s going to come down to individual heroics. Okami has to pop off. Pawjob needs to win lane hard. And maybe, just maybe, the support role swap for Soot Sprites opens the door.

In a game this slow and measured, 1 misstep decides the outcome. And if there’s one thing AK Hearts do well—it’s punishing a mistake when their stars are online.

Let me put this out there: Okami might be the best mid laner in the entire league. Yeah, yeah—I know people will boo, throw tomatoes, whatever. I don’t care I'm right about this, damnit. The numbers speak for themselves. Okami is averaging over 1,000 damage per minute. Not in a single game. Not even in just one series. That’s a season average. That’s absurd. And what makes this matchup fascinating is that Canela—Soot Sprites’ mid—can match that scaling threat. Canela’s pool is deep and varied. They can pull out late-game carries like Cassiopeia, Viktor, or Orianna, but they’re just as comfortable bullying lane with Taliyah or Neeko, setting up early ganks and mid-prio to help their jungler.This lane isn’t just “who wins the 1v1.” It’s about which mid gets unlocked first. If Okami gets to scale, the map burns. One pick from a fed Aurelion Sol or Viktor, and someone’s deleted before they can press R. But if Canela gets tempo early and forces roams or drags the game into a structured setup, then Okami’s burst gets muted by proper positioning and vision denial.   

SYN TBD(Demacia 2nd Seed) Vs. Original SYN(Noxus 3rd Seed)

My Prediction: 3-2 Original Syn

Lane To Watch: Bot Lane

This is it—the closest matchup of the week, and arguably one of the most emotional. Two of the strongest Syndicate squads are facing off way too early thanks to what can only be described as a cruel twist of playoff fate. With three of Syndicate’s four teams landing in the top right of the bracket, someone was always going to get eliminated too early, and now it's Syndicate vs Syndicate in the Top 16.

Let’s talk Original SYN. Early in the season, this team had real problems closing out games. Their macro was shaky, and there were serious questions about whether Zedd and Buttrzz were the kind of core you could actually build around. I was one of those skeptics—I'll own that. But then something shifted. I don’t know who started shot-calling. I don’t know who stepped up in scrims. But the vibes changed. ORG started winning—and not just squeaking by, but winning convincingly.

Now? Buttrzz is statistically the highest-rated player in BOL Emerald. Zedd has become one of the most reliable mid laners in the league, averaging fewer than two deaths per game, which is insane for someone expected to take mid-lane aggro. ORG suddenly looks like a team that isn’t just defying expectations—they’re hungry to prove people wrong.

On the other side, we’ve got Syndicate TBD—and yeah, still the worst name in the bracket. But bad name, great team. TBD has been a known quantity since before the season even started. This is a roster of veteran players. These are players who have been here before, who don’t flinch in pressure, and who bring consistent, battle-tested play across the board. From draft to map play, TBD rarely beat themselves.

Stat Breakdown: A Mirror Match in Numbers

When you look at the numbers, you realize how ridiculously close this series is going to be.

• Kills per game? Near even.

• Assists? Almost identical.

• Gold per minute? Slight edge to ORG.

• Tower pressure in wins? Both solid.

• Tower pressure in losses? Weak on both sides

• Dragons taken per game? TBD leads, ranked 3rd overall, while ORG is 7th.

But here’s the critical difference: ORG dies way less. The result? They boast a significantly higher team KDA, with better survivability in skirmishes and fights. This isn’t just stat-padding—it speaks to their discipline and positioning. When fights break out, their carries live, and they convert those fights into leads.

TBD, on the other hand, are dragon control monsters, and that can't be ignored. In a series that could go long, soul fights might decide everything. If TBD can slow the game down and consistently stack dragons, it puts real pressure on ORG to force early map plays—a riskier game plan.

The Key Matchups and What to Watch

Let’s be real: this matchup is going to be defined by carry performance vs team play.

For ORG: Buttrzz and Zedd are the win conditions.

We already know what’s coming from draft—Jinx, Varus, Sivir—the usual suspects. But when Buttrzz brings out the spicy picks, that’s when I lean forward. The Twitch game, the Zeri angle, even a Kog’Maw if the comp supports it. These are the matches where I want to see Buttrzz own the entire map, flex his dominance, and show that he’s more than just a safe scaler.

Zedd, meanwhile, has evolved into the safest mid in the league, and it’s up to him to keep that trend going. A high KDA mid who doesn’t die and still outputs consistent pressure? That’s invaluable in playoffs.

For TBD: Shut down the stars and play the map.

Koopa is the X-factor here. He’s been playing a more utility-oriented role, but in this matchup, he needs to land the key engages—the Ashe Arrows, the Varus Roots, the Jihn Snares—that break the enemy formation. If he can consistently isolate Buttrzz or disrupt Zedd in mid-fight, the rest of TBD can shine.

TBD's best path to victory is through map manipulation and creative macro. This isn’t a team that wants a 5v5 slugfest every game—they want to split the map, create picks, and pressure side lanes until someone slips.

Final Thoughts

I’ve gone back and forth on this matchup a dozen times, but I keep landing in the same place: I’m calling the upset. Give me Original SYN. Yes, I know TBD are the veterans. Yes, they have the dragon control, the macro, the experience. But ORG has shown more growth, more momentum, and honestly? A higher ceiling. If they can survive TBD’s early setups and play the fights on their own terms, I think they take the series. It won’t be easy, and champion pool issues could surface in Games 2 or 3, but I believe ORG comes out swinging and makes a statement here. This one’s going to be close, it’s going to be scrappy, and it might be the best series of the entire Top 16.

XSV Gluttony(Ionia 1st Seed) Vs. XSV Greed(Ionia 4th Seed) 

My Prediction: 3-1 Gluttony

Call it destiny, call it bad bracket luck—either way, we’re getting an Ionia division rematch XSV Civil War in the Top 16, and this time, it’s all on the line. XSV Gluttony vs XSV Greed isn’t just a matchup of sister teams. It’s a clash of styles, of philosophies, and of two rosters that have defined consistency in Emerald this season. This should be the most methodical, macro-heavy slugfests of the entire round.

XSV Gluttony: The Disciplined Engine

Let’s start with the team that’s been quietly elite all season. Gluttony won Aegis for a reason—they’re not flashy, but they are ruthlessly consistent.

• Matty, their ADC, has emerged as the clear standout, and for good reason. He’s not just a cleanup crew—he’s the engine of this team’s win conditions. Gluttony drafts around him, plays for him early, and ensures he’s in position to convert early game pressure into late game domination.

• This team drafts with intent. Almost every Gluttony draft includes multiple layers of engage, reliable crowd control, and clear front-to-back structure. When you watch their games, you can feel the synergy. It's not five players on five champions—they draft as a five-piece puzzle.

They do have one soft spot: side lane pressure. If you’re the kind of team that can abuse the map, split, and isolate their carries from their tanks, you might crack them. But the problem is, Greed doesn’t play that style. And that’s why this matchup should tilt in Gluttony’s favour.

XSV Greed: Teamfight Titans with Classic Power

Don’t let their lower seed fool you—Greed are no pushovers. This team is packed with talent and playoff pedigree, and they love to brawl.

• Brother Otter, Spoobert, and Kazz have been staples of high-level Emerald play for years now, and their experience shows in teamfights. They understand spacing, timing, and when to go all-in or kite back.

• Bone and WheelchairJG round out the roster with solid seasons under their belt. Neither has been flashy, but both have shown they can deliver in high-pressure moments.

Greed isn’t interested in dancing around the map—they want you to meet them 5v5, on even ground, and see who comes out alive. In that sense, this is a mirror match, because Gluttony wants the same thing.

The difference? Execution and polish.

Draft Focus: Who Locks Ornn First?

Because both teams want to brawl, engage tanks and frontline champions are going to be absolutely critical. Do not be surprised if Ornn is locked or banned in every game. If Ornn makes it through the draft unbanned, I’d bet the house he’s picked.

Other champions to watch include:

• Sejuani, Rell, Alistar, Maokai – all offer the CC and lockdown needed to set up teamfights.

• For ADCs: Expect Jinx, Aphelios, and Kai’Sa to be contested heavily, especially with how much both teams funnel gold into their bot lanes.

Stat Breakdown: Gluttony by the Margins

When you break down the numbers, Gluttony edges out Greed in almost every major team stat:

• Gold per game: Gluttony earns ~3000 more gold per game, despite similar average game lengths.

• Towers taken: Gluttony consistently applies more map pressure, translating leads into structure damage better.

• Objective control: Gluttony kills slightly more dragons and Barons, showing a better handle on timing around neutral objectives.

But here’s the kicker: every game they play is close. Gluttony doesn’t stomp—they grind. They control, they absorb, and then they punish mistakes. That kind of patient, structured League is terrifying to play against and It should give them the mental egde to close this seires in Gluttony's favor. 

TTM Aegaeon(Ionia 2nd Seed Vs. Team Solo Invade(Ionia 3rd Seed) 

My Prediction: 3-1 TTM

TTM are the team I seem to have the most difference with the rest of the league. Most teams from what I have seen on Otter talk and in the chats do not regard TTM as a real team that can challenge the top of the league. I think that they can and showing another dominant win over a team that they beat already is the way to do it. Listen it's TTM favoured all the way from the gold lead to the team KDA and towers taken its TTM to win. Please do not make me look like a fool TTM.