The group stage of the first LPL split has ended. In the Resolute group, WE and NIP faced off in a tiebreaker, which NIP won. Their previous double round-robin matches were split 1-1, with both best-of-threes fully played out. Surprisingly, NIP swept WE 2-0 in the tiebreaker. This proves that investing in Korean players is effective, as the top-ranked teams in all three groups of the first split all have two Korean imports.

LNG recruited a top Korean player and went undefeated 6-0 in the group stage. NIP's top and jungle players also performed strongly, and AL's jungle and support have been impressive since last year. The era of Korean dominance clearly continues. With our region currently lacking new talent, more Korean rookies from the LCK are expected to join in future seasons. After WE and NIP's tiebreaker, the LPL officially entered the play-in stage.

Top Esports' play-in match against WE

The first round of the LPL Knight's Road pits the second-to-last team from the Ascendant group against the top two from the Resolute group, competing for playoff spots. After NIP secured first place, their opponent was IG. Although the Ascendant and Resolute groups differ in strength, IG has been declining in the latter half of the season and might not beat NIP. Top Esports facing WE should be an easier challenge. Honestly, TES has a much higher ceiling than IG, so the playoffs seem quite certain.

All teams in the first round have a second chance; even if they don't advance, they can compete in the third round against the second-to-last from the Resolute group and the top two from the Phoenix group. Among the second-round teams, LNG's strength is clearly ahead. OMG and EDG have some gap, but barring surprises, LNG and EDG should reach the third round. If IG can't beat NIP in the first round, their chances of advancing further are slim. LNG's strength is definitely greater than NIP's.

Bin posts late-night photo to challenge Gala

JDG's AD carry Gala recently shared a photo showing his abs, astonishing fans. At JD Gaming, known as the best-fed club in the league, other players tend to gain weight after joining. However, Gala has been at JD for over two months and has not only avoided gaining weight but has also developed visible abs, showing he has been working out hard this year. After Gala's post received praise, Bin also shared a photo of his physique.

Although Bin's abs aren't as defined as Gala's, he stubbornly claimed: "I just haven't trained much. If I trained seriously, I'd definitely be better than Gala." After Bin posted on Weibo, Gala responded by praising him: "Bin's talent is undeniable." Wow, now even abs photos are a competition. Could it be that the league is assigning players tasks to stir up hype because the official viewership is too low?

Doinb reveals being cut off by the officials

Retired LPL mid laner Doinb, after returning to streaming, switched from LOL to DOTA. Known as a streaming icon, he has revitalized his career in the DOTA scene. Recently, his streaming popularity surged, and he even participated in the DOTA Bear Paw Cup. However, after the event, Doinb revealed that the league officials cut ties with him. Originally, he was invited to attend a LOL mobile event during the Spring Festival, but the invitation was abruptly canceled.

The official spot was replaced by Liu Qingsong, with the given reason being participation in a competing game event. After this move, Doinb is expected to fade out from the LOL scene. This doesn't significantly affect him since he lacks secondary casting rights. Streaming solo LOL ranked games doesn't generate as much buzz as DOTA now. After that incident, it's also become harder for him to navigate the LOL community.

Conclusion:

Bin has been quite active lately. First, after losing a match, he still claimed to be the best top laner in the world. Then, a day later, after Gala posted his abs photo, Bin boasted that his talent exceeds Gala's. It's hard to tell whether he's just straightforward or has lost his mind. Either way, these two actions seem quite puzzling.

So, what do you think about Bin's talent?

Feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion!