KT Rolster defeated Liiv SANDBOX in the 2023 LCK Spring Split playoffs today, progressing to the second round.
The team took the series 3-1, with KT top laner Kim “Kiin” Gi-in showcasing two unusual champions. The Korean player picked Malphite twice and Urgot once, winning three games with these off-meta champs.
Malphite was featured in the first and fourth games of the series, and it brought some much-needed engage for KT. In both games, the team also had Zeri and Xin Zhao, who work together perfectly in a team with a guaranteed engage.
Urgot, on the other hand, was picked in a more single-target-oriented team composition, which also featured Veigar and Sejuani. With so many lockdown tools and an early-game lead, KT were able to pivot teamfights and neutral objectives in their favor, which resulted in a quick 27-minute victory.
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Both picks are unorthodox in the meta. When it comes to top lane, Malphite wasn’t even picked once in the 2023 LCK Spring Split regular season, according to a League of Legends stats site Oracle’s Elixir. Urgot was picked just once in that timeframe (also by Kiin). None of the champs received buffs in Patch 13.5, making them even more surprising in the playoffs.
KT have now progressed to round two, where they will face either T1 or Gen.G. The 2023 LCK Spring Split playoffs continue tomorrow with Dplus KIA taking on Hanwha Life Esports.
