LCS top seed 100 Thieves survive NRG comeback, eliminate reigning champs in 5 games

It took the full series but LCS Spring Split top seeds 100 Thieves have kept their MSI dreams alive with a 3-2 win over NRG, sending the 2023 Summer Split and NA Worlds’ representatives packing in the first round of the playoff lower bracket.

After a 3-0 wipeout at the hands of Cloud9, 100T needed to overcome the reigning LCS champs if they wanted to keep their top-seeded regular split run going, but they did just that, warding off an NRG fightback that included multiple Baron steals from Contractz and a full five-game series. Player of the series Quid noted post-game that, compared to the C9 loss, he felt a lot more comfortable despite this series going the distance.

“[Against C9] we didn’t have mid prio, so our game became too hard to play. Against NRG, after the first game, I felt like my laning stage was better and I felt much more comfortable,” Quid said post-game.

NRG kicked off the series with the win in game one behind an 18-kill performance from FBI’s Smolder, but 100T bounced straight back with two wins of their own and at one point was almost 10,000 gold ahead before making the call to hit Baron in the 33rd minute.

But Contractz struck on Lee Sin, stealing the Baron and flashing out from the fight. While Sniper’s push into the exposed tier four towers forced NRG to back off with Baron buff, the ensuing fight went the way of the reigning champs meaning game five would be needed.

But 100T weren’t going to let this one slip, tightening up the game plan and putting the comeback to bed thanks to Quid’s six kill, nine assist effort on Ahri. “Before the split started I was 50-50 about how I was playing but as soon as we got going during the split I actually felt there was a chance we could win the season,” 100T top laner Sniper said after the match, stating that he was to blame for the loss in game four but the team moved on and focused up for game five.

The loss means NRG is out and we’ll have a new LCS champion this season. Huhi expressed his disappointment following the loss, saying it took time for the squad to adjust to team changes which attributed to the team’s 6-9 record.

“I think 100T just showed better both as a team and individually. We were struggling a lot during the regular split and we were getting better, but I think we just didn’t completely solve our issues yet,” Huhi said. “We know what we have to focus on but we’re sad that our season is over now.”

100T march on and will play the winner of tomorrow’s lower bracket match between Team Liquid and Dignitas.