The LPL's third stage of group matches has reached its fifth week. On the previous match day, WE and BLG faced off back-to-back in the second round of the league. The two teams battled through three games, with BLG ultimately winning 2:1, successfully achieving a seven-game winning streak to top the leaderboard. This BO3 wasn't a very convincing win for BLG; in the decisive game, they had a 3K gold lead at the seven-minute mark, but mid-game team fights were back and forth with WE, nearly resulting in a comeback.

It’s evident that BLG's players have become a bit overconfident; after gaining an advantage, there are always opportunities given away. Even the official commentator Wang Duoduo couldn't help but publicly criticize: they won the match, but it wasn't impressive. The WE team is quite intriguing; in the third stage, aside from being shut out 2:0 by IG, they have gone the distance in all their other matches, yet they have only won one, currently sitting at the bottom of the leaderboard with a record of 1-7.

With six matches remaining and only one point, WE is highly likely headed for the Knight's Road. In another match on the same day, the Nirvana group saw EDG face off against TT. After dropping Wink and promoting a second-team support, EDG's strength in the Nirvana group has become invincible, easily defeating TT 2:0, achieving six consecutive wins and securing their spot on the Knight's Road with four matches to spare.

Among the six teams in the Nirvana group, only the top four can qualify. TT, currently ranked fifth, has a record of 2-5. Even if they win all three remaining matches, their best record would be 5-5, which is not enough to catch up or surpass EDG. Thus, Guodian has successfully qualified, and the 5-1 NIP is also secure, just one step away from qualification. The competition for the last two spots remains fierce, with LGD in third place now only one point behind LNG.

There is a two-point difference between third and sixth place, with the remaining teams only one point apart. Everyone now has a chance to qualify. Relatively speaking, LNG's chances are lower; they need to win all three of their last matches to have a shot. With EDG securing the Knight's Road, JDG has completely become a laughingstock. During the transfer period, EDG dropped Wink, and JDG, in a panic, signed him.

It's quite absurd that a player discarded by the Nirvana group teams is signed by JDG, a so-called "galactic fleet." Wink's performance can only be described as extraordinary; in the second game against BLG, his Alistar was all over the place, making basic WQ combos incorrectly. Even when Meiko was in poor form, his Alistar wasn't this ridiculous. The good news is that JDG has swapped supports, but the new player is also quite abstract.

In the next match, JDG will face FPX. Prior to the match, JDG officially announced Zhuo's joining as the starter, replacing Wink. One can only say that Peyz is fortunate. Comparatively, Zhuo isn't entirely clean either; during his time at LNG, he didn't win a single match in the third stage. After Li Ning benched Zhuo, they finally secured their first victory. In the eyes of LNG fans, he is considered a "traitor." JDG's support swap is hard to evaluate.

The support swaps in Nirvana have shown JDG's management's remarkable eye for talent, signing whoever performs poorly. However, the team's issues are clearly not limited to support. Scout's performance in this stage has been more outrageous than Zeka and Xu Xiu from the neighboring team. Among the "four-wheel mid-laners," he is undoubtedly the leader. If JDG wants to make it to the playoffs, they need to have a serious talk with their mid-laner, who seems to be in a bit of a slump.

Conclusion:

Having purchased the discarded supports from the Nirvana group twice in a row, JDG's desperate attempts are becoming increasingly severe. If Zhuo also fails to perform, it truly feels hopeless. If all else fails, perhaps they should bring Missing back; although he is also underperforming, he occasionally has standout moments.

So what do you think? Can JDG still make it to the playoffs?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!