First — Team Liquid (6W-0L)

Another week of games, another dominant showing.

They’re not perfect, and truth be told, they’ve been challenged in the early game almost every single time. But just when you think that the mighty have fallen, just when you think that the status quo will be turned on its head, Liquid always finds a way. They’re incredibly talented, and they’re all grizzled veterans that are still in their prime.

Watching them play League of Legends is an absolute joy, and they’re playing at the highest possible level. The moments when they must find a solution or play from a deficit are particularly enjoyable. Going forward, there’s no real threat, at least not right now. If they continue working on their synergy, and perhaps step up a bit in the early game, we could be in for a repeat of 2018.

Second — Cloud9 (4W-2L)

There’s not much you can say about the 2018 World Championship semifinalists. They started the year off on the right foot, and even though they’re not perfect, they were still able to lock down sole possession of second place. Perhaps the most important thing about Cloud9 is that every single member is perfectly aware of their role within the team/game and everyone is carrying their share of the weight. While that might seem like a no-brainer, many teams don’t have such a hierarchy in place, and even if they do, they’re not executing it properly.

Cloud9’s game against Clutch Gaming last week was a perfect example of a top-tier team fighting a gatekeeper. It was one-sided, and once Cloud9 upped the tempo, the game was essentially over at the twenty-minute mark. They’re all exceptional players on an individual level, and their team cohesion is worthy of the highest praise — and they’re only getting better with time.

They’re fairly inconsistent right now, and that could be a problem going forward. Regardless, they have the mechanical prowess and their trademarked team fighting from behind to fall back on in the times of need. They’re playing on an incredibly high level right now, and even though they’re still a bit rough around the edges, they’re making strides in performance.

Regardless of how the next couple of weeks pan out, they will surely remain near the top of the region.

Tied for Third — Counter Logic Gaming (3W-3L)

All things considered, a 1W-1L week is a good sign for CLG. In any case, they’re currently a strong mid-tier team that has their eyes set on the playoffs. Will they be able to reach the top six? The odds are on their side, that’s for sure, although they do have some concrete issues that are still plaguing them. They’re struggling to find their footing, but you can see improvement with each new game, so they’re at least on the right path.

They have both TSM and Clutch Gaming ahead in week four. They need to win both games in order to solidify their spot as a strong contender.

Tied for Third — 100 Thieves (3W-3L)

After an abysmal start to the season, the 2018 spring finalists were able to bounce back in stellar fashion and register their first 2-0 last week. In doing so, they differentiated themselves from the bottom of the pack. No one knows how strong they really are, but judging from their strength, it seems as though they’re hovering near the top five. They’re a solid playoff-worthy team, and they’re making huge strides with each passing week.

They already beat Counter Logic Gaming, and they have FlyQuest next week. If things go “according to plan,” 100 Thieves could soon have sole possession of third place.

Tied for Third — FlyQuest (3W-3L)

FlyQuest were unable to register a win last week as they lost to both Team Liquid and Echo Fox. Their loss to Liquid was an expected outcome, that’s for sure, although their loss to Echo Fox wasn’t. That said, they looked great in both games, and even though they lost to Echo Fox, they were in control of the game up until their abysmal Baron fight.

They’re still a capable team, but they need to work on a couple of things before knocking on the top three door.

Tied for Third — Echo Fox (3W-3L)

Seeing Echo Fox this high on the list is baffling. They’re not bad per se, but they’ve had so many individual blunders that seeing them with a neutral record feels strange. There’s some potential overall, but they’re just not strong enough to compete with the absolute best the LCS has to offer, at least not right now.

That said, they do have the capacity to upset. They were able to go blow-for-blow with both Counter Logic Gaming as well as FlyQuest last week, and when they saw an opening against FlyQuest, they didn’t hesitate. They capitalized and basically won the game off a great team fight around Baron.

Their schedule going forward, however, isn’t easy. Far from it. With both Cloud9 and 100 Thieves awaiting, they should fall in the standings and get back to their mid-tier status.

Tied for Seventh — Team SoloMid (2W-4L)

Unfortunately, last week was not a good one for the perennial North American titans. They failed to mount an offensive and take down either Cloud9 or the Golden Guardians. The thing is, they looked good. Really good. They had early leads in both of their games, but they simply didn’t translate those leads into a formidable mid-game. Once the mid game comes along, things start going downhill for Team SoloMid.

They made mistakes individually, and they weren’t particularly impressive as a team either. Regardless, there’s a ton of potential on this roster, and they’re poised to make a solid playoff run, but they’re just not there yet. They need more time in order to get together and allow all of that talent to mesh and consolidate.

Once that happens, they’ll get back to their winning ways without a doubt.

Tied for Seventh — Golden Guardians (2W-4L)

The one team that’s probably elated to be tied for anything other than last place. After an abysmal start to the 2019 season, the Golden Guardians were able to bounce back in quite unexpected fashion. They always had the talent within their roster, but it seems as though things just “clicked,” and the Guardians finally found an identity.

They drafted according to the meta, played well on an individual level as well as a five-man unit, and executed their win conditions to a tee. There’s not much to say other than that. They’re on the rise, however, and should not be taken lightly. They were predicted to be a playoff dark horse coming into 2019, and that scenario could still become a reality if they continue working hard.

Tied for Seventh — Clutch Gaming (2W-4L)

After making waves early on in the split, Clutch Gaming quickly fell down to earth. They lost both of their games against 100 Thieves and Cloud9 last week, and they’re looking like a solid gatekeeper right now. There’s nothing bad about that, but it’s still a bit underwhelming seeing how they were able to start with a couple of statement games.

Either way, they’re a formidable adversary regardless of the opponent and should not be taken lightly. Going forward, they will remain near the top six, but they shouldn’t be able to lock down a playoff spot.

Tied for Seventh — OpTic Gaming (2W-4L)

Finally, we have OpTic Gaming. After the organization decided to start with their “A team,” OpTic failed to register a win. They were far less proactive, less aggressive, and their synergy was unimpressive in both of their losses to the Golden Guardians and Team Liquid. Unimpressive when compared to what we’ve seen from OpTic in the first two weeks, rather.

They were able to keep things somewhat competitive during the early game, but once it came to transitioning those leads into a strong mid-game, they lacked decisiveness and were quickly outperformed and out rotated by both of their opponents. Regardless, there’s a fair amount of talent within their ten-man roster, and they should be able to keep things competitive going forward. That said, much like Clutch Gaming, they shouldn’t be able to reach the top six.