Today marks the start of the final week of the 2023 LCS Spring Split regular season. Five teams are still firmly involved in the postseason race going into the final three days of the split. The remaining teams in the league will compete for the final three spots in the Spring Split playoffs since three teams have already secured their spots and two others have been eliminated.
#100Thieves, who are presently in fifth place in the #LCS and barely qualify for the playoffs, are smack in the center of those teams. However, because #CLG and #TSM are also matched for a 7-8 record, they will need to put in an additional effort this week to guarantee a playoff spot.
Since the league officially adopted its 18-game split structure in 2015, no seven-win team has ever qualified for the LCS playoffs, so 100 Thieves will need to win at least one game this weekend, with possibly a tiebreaker added at the tail end of the schedule, to ensure their spot in the playoffs. Here's how 100 Thieves can guarantee a spot in the 2023 LCS Spring Split playoffs.
The direct rode: A 3-0 super week
Winning all three of 100 Thieves' games in week eight is the most straightforward and apparent method for them to guarantee their spot in the postseason. A win over Immortals would ensure their place in the playoffs, while victories over TSM and Evil Geniuses would boost their odds of making the playoffs to open the week. They would then have to depend on other outcomes to decide their seed, but it would still be feasible for them to advance to the top bracket.
Results could differ: A 2-1 super week
The 100 Thieves have a decent shot of making the playoffs if they win two of their final three games. They would be guaranteed at least a draw to advance to the playoffs if they defeated TSM and one other opponent. But given that the two teams entered the super week with identical records, it is crucial that they defeat TSM. A second win this week would give 100 Thieves the tiebreaker edge, pushing them ahead of TSM should they end the split with identical records because they defeated TSM earlier this year.
It’s getting risky: A 1-2 super week
This week's inaugural battle against TSM had better be 100 Thieves' one and only victory. Winning against TSM ensures them a vital head-to-head record against a straight playoff rival and probable access to a tiebreaker game against a different opponent. Winning against the already eliminated Immortals or already secured EG will still score in the W column. But even with a 1-2 record, 100T may not be able to compete with CLG if they manage to surprise Golden Guardians and Cloud9 and overtake the Thieves. Another scenario has Liquid finishing with a 9-9 record, 100T finishing with an 8-10 record, and 100 Thieves finishing in seventh place, just outside the bottom group.
Beginning at 6 p.m. CT on March 15, 100 Thieves' quarterfinal drive against TSM is crucial. Then, on March 16 and 17, respectively, they will face EG at 4 PM CT and Immortals at 8 PM CT.
