The third stage group matches of the LPL have ended. IG defeated BLG 2-0 and, with a one-point advantage, claimed second place in the regular season. Once the top four in the Peak Group were confirmed, the playoff divisions were announced. As per the official rules, the first and fourth seeds and the second and third seeds are assigned to different halves. Therefore, TES and AL are grouped together, and IG and BLG are in the opposite half for the playoffs.

The four teams that directly qualify for the playoffs will select their opponents in order of their ranking: TES > IG > BLG > AL. Besides having the right to choose their opponents, these four teams also get priority side selection in their first matches. After the group stage ended, the official playoff start date and detailed schedule were released. The playoffs will begin on September 7 and conclude with the annual championship on September 20.

IG and BLG could face off again in as soon as 12 days

In the first two days of the playoffs, there will be two best-of-five matches each day. For the following week, there will be one best-of-five match per day, with no breaks until the final two teams are decided, after which there will be a four-day rest period. The schedule is quite tight, but after the Knight’s Journey ends, there will be a five-day break with no matches. During this time, fans are encouraged to switch their attention to the LCK. Since IG and BLG are in the same half, the chance of these two teams meeting is very high.

If both teams win their first matches, they will meet again in the second round. Excluding today, that rematch would happen 12 days later. Compared to best-of-three series, IG’s best-of-five matches are more exciting to anticipate because of their deep mid and top champion pools, likely bringing out unexpected picks. In contrast, BLG’s three carries have a somewhat limited champion pool, especially their bottom lane—ELK and YunAna have struggled.

Is JDG planning to change their jungler for the Knight’s Journey?

In JDG’s last match, they avenged their previous loss by defeating WBG, with Xun earning back-to-back MVPs against Xiaotian. During the game, Xun paid tribute to the King by showing off a Joker pick. Some viewers interpreted this as a signal to BLG because rumors online claim that an LPL team is about to replace their jungler. The insider mentioned that JDG would change their jungler, Xun would not participate in the Knight’s Journey, and the new jungler would be recruited from the Nirvana Group.

Honestly, this rumor isn’t very credible because if JDG were to recruit a jungler from the Nirvana Group, their options would be limited to TT and LNG, whose junglers are clearly not up to par. If JDG truly changed their jungler, it would basically mean they are giving up on the playoffs. Meanwhile, although BLG’s form has been poor, they still have a substitute, Beichuan, who hasn’t played for a long time. Maybe the playoffs will bring a honeymoon period for him.

Chovy complains about the regular season: long and tedious

The LCK group stage is also nearing its end. On the last match day, DK showed outstanding performance, sweeping BRO 2-0 and securing their 18th win. Xu “许哥” seems to have a chance to reach the playoffs through the qualifiers. In another match, GEN defeated KT. Although GEN had previously beaten T1, KT's strength is still noticeably behind GEN. Dae-hoon made a slight move and shut down KT completely. GEN’s current win count has reached 28.

In a post-match interview, Dae-hoon openly criticized the schedule: the regular season itself is already very long, and the playoff schedule continues this drawn-out pace, giving an overall feeling of sluggishness. This criticism is valid since the LCK takes several days off after each week’s matches. If the schedule were tighter, playoffs might have already started. However, with only eight teams in the LCK, the officials have limited options.

Conclusion:

After playing two matches against IG, BLG’s weaknesses have become clear. ELK’s laning and teamfight skills are lacking. If Gazi can maintain his current form in the playoffs, their bottom lane will still have an advantage. Coupled with a superior champion pool, IG in best-of-five matches seems stronger than in best-of-three. BLG might face a triple knockout.

So, what do you think? Will BLG change their jungler?

Feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion!