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Only Three Spots Left in the LJL Playoffs

the LJL Spring split is winding down, and we look at who still has a shot at making it to playoffs.

The 2023 LJL Spring Split has been a dramatic one. With two weeks left in the regular season, three of the six playoff seats have been secured. With the bottom five teams still vying for a playoff birth and the top team losing last week, the sentiment that anyone can win any game has never felt more prevalent.

Sengoku Gaming, DetonatioN FocusMe, and Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS gaming will all be competing to etch their name in Japanese League of Legends history come the playoffs. The only question remaining is who will join them. 

Current LJL Standings

Sengoku Gaming has spent the whole season at the top of the standings. They were the last remaining undefeated team for a majority of the season until DetonatioN FocusMe was able to take them down last week in a tightly contested 2-1. They’ll have to play the rest of their matches perfectly if they want to remain the top seed going into playoffs. 

DetonatioN FocusMe had a bit of a stumble early on the year but has turned it around in the second half of the split. They’re currently on a seven-match winning streak that doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon. If they’re able to keep playing at such a high level, it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see this squad win the split.

Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS gaming has been been in the top 3 in the standings every week this season. Though few have ever considered them the best League of Legends team in Japan, it’s impossible to deny their ability to compete with the best that the LJL has to offer. It would be shocking to see this team win the playoffs though I expect them to make a deep run. 

FENNEL has been competitive for the majority of the season. Though they’ve never been able to break into the group of top teams in Japan, this team still is able to look competitive against the region’s best. Look for this squad to make a strong push here in the last two weeks of the season toward playoffs. 

Burning Core has found recent success in the late weeks of the season. Though they’ve spent a majority of the season outside of the Top 6, they’ve recently found their way into the playoffs picture, currently 5th in the standings. Expect this team to defend the playoff spot they’ve worked so hard to earn. 

Crest Gaming Act has spent this season as a mid-tier team. Lately, they’ve started to slip in the standings, and currently, they’re in jeopardy of losing their spot if they play poorly these last two weeks. If AXIZ is going to have a shot at taking someone’s spot in playoffs, their best bet is beating Crest Gaming Act. 

  1. Sengoku Gaming (10-1)
  2. DetonatioN FocusMe (9-2)

Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS gaming (9-2)

4. FENNEL (5-6)

5. Burning Core (4-6)

6. Crest Gaming Act (3-7)

7. AXIZ (2-8)

8. V3 Esports (0-10)

LJL Schedule and Betting Odds

All times listed are in Eastern Time.

Friday, March 17

Crest Gaming Act (+123) vs Burning Core (-167) – 4 AM

V3 Esports (+434) vs AXIZ (-769) – 7 AM

Saturday, March 18

FENNEL (-385) vs Crest Gaming Act (+250) – 4 AM

AXIZ (+487) vs Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS gaming (-909)- 7 AM

Sunday, March 19

DetonatioN FocusMe (-833) vs Burning Core (+447) – 4 AM

V3 Esports (+1332) vs Sengoku Gaming (-10000) – 7 AM 

Tuesday, March 21

FENNEL vs DeontatioN FocusMe – 4 AM

Sengoku Gaming vs Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS gaming – 7 AM