We can already tell that these NA LCS playoffs are going to be wild! The hype levels are off the charts as the knockout stage kicks off with the Echo Fox vs Team SoloMid and 100 Thieves vs FlyQuest matches. So, we’ve prepared detailed NA LCS playoffs predictions for anyone who wants to bet on the quarterfinals of this event!
Echo Fox vs Team SoloMid
The first stop in our NA LCS playoffs predictions is the Echo Fox vs Team SoloMid series. Echo Fox have insane side lane pressure thanks to the likes of Huni, Lost, and Smoothie. However, Huni has a hard time controlling his aggression, so his team will have to invest a lot of resources to prevent him from dying to enemy ganks. That said, if there’s anyone up to this challenge, it’s Dardoch. For all intents and purposes, he is a ganking machine, and few players can keep up with him in the early game.
But even if Huni gets his help, Echo Fox still need to find a way to protect Damonte. Granted, the mid laner can hold his own against most opponents, but this matchup might be an exception to the rule. Then, there’s the macro game. The addition of Smoothie made Echo Fox a bit more stable in the mid game, but it didn’t magically fix all of their issues, and it’s far too common to see them crumbling at neutral objectives or overstepping their limits in teamfights.
But TSM aren’t doing that hot either. Of course, Bjergsen is still playing his heart out, so he will exert tremendous amounts of pressure in the mid lane. However, Grig will struggle to go toe-to-toe with Dardoch, and Hauntzer will cave under Huni’s aggression. But the biggest problem lies in the bot lane. Zven and Mithy have been shaky for the entirety of the 2018 Summer Split, and their laning phase is riddled with holes Echo Fox could exploit.
Their macro isn’t that strong either. Sure, TSM aren’t as lost as they were at the beginning of the regular season, but they still have a hard time making decisive. And against a team as aggressive as Echo Fox, this is a very dangerous weakness to have.
BETTING ADVICE: Both teams have their strengths and weaknesses. However, TSM’s only reliable player is in the mid lane while Echo Fox hold the edge in every other position. It will be close, but in the end, our NA LCS playoffs predictions are leaning towards an Echo Fox victory. You can put a wager on this outcome for odds of 2.25 at Rivalry.
100 Thieves vs FlyQuest
There’s no denying that 100 Thieves are a very flawed team. Despite fielding a roster of veterans, they suffer from a distinct lack of firepower. AnDa struggles to make his presence known in the jungle, Cody Sun fails to hold his own in the laning phase, and Ryu has a hard time showing up on anything other than a few of his pocket picks. And while their only actual star player—Ssumday—is a top lane powerhouse, his presence alone won’t change the entire team dynamic.
Even so, 100 Thieves make up for their lack of individual strength with game knowledge. They’re one of the smartest teams in the league, and you can count on them to make the right calls and take the right teamfights in the late game. The only problem is getting to that point without a massive gold deficit.
As for FlyQuest, no one expected them to reach the knockout stage. Their roster isn’t much stronger than that of 100T’s, but they make it work by ramping up the aggression in the laning phase. Santorin is on point with his pathing, and he often acts as the catalyst for early game plays. Combine that with the constant lane pressure from Flame, and this squad has the potential to be a good NA LCS team.
Unfortunately, Keane, WildTurtle, and JayJ are too inconsistent to push FlyQuest to the next level. On top of that, their coordination is lacking, so they often fall apart in the late game, and until that changes, we don’t see them having much stock in our NA LCS playoffs predictions.
BETTING ADVICE: Even if FlyQuest pull out all stops in the early game, they lack the macro prowess to turn these leads into an actual victory. With that, our NA LCS playoffs predictions are in favor of a 3-1 win for 100 Thieves! You can place a bet on this outcome for odds of 3.45 at EsportsBetting.
