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T1 Fail to Make LCK Playoffs Grand Finals for First Time in 3 years
T1 has just fallen to Hanwha Life Esports for the 3rd consecutive time this year and the 2nd time this Summer Playoffs. The results of this series means that T1 have been eliminated from the LCK Summer Playoffs. The historic team finish 3rd place in the LCK Summer Playoffs after the 1-3 loss in the Lower Finals.
Moreover, Hanwha Life Esports (HLE), for the first time since the organization’s acquisition of ROX Tiger’s slot in 2018, will be attending the Grand Finals of an LCK Playoffs. ROX Tiger last graced the Grand Finals stage in 2016 Summer.
Hanwha Life Esports Decimate T1
Once upon a time, we spoke of Gen.G having T1’s number, being the only team in the LCK that appeared to truly have that level to dominate Faker’s team.
HLE has now acquired that same hotline it appears. The 2 teams clashed a total of 8 times in 2024. 6 of those have gone the way of HLE. A dire time indeed to despair as a T1 fan as another roster looks to supplant their spot as the 2nd best LCK team.
In this last series, HLE walked away with the victory with a 3-1 scoreline - Game 2 being the sole outlier. T1’s drafting has been called into question this playoffs especially, where it appears they generally veer away from champions that the other top teams are prioritizing, such as the Smolder, a key AD-scaling champion that mid-laners in the LCK have been fully utilizing to great effect.
Instead, T1 found alternative answers such as carry-heavy top laners such as Camille or the Tristana in lieu of Smolder. Unfortunately, as was visible in the last game, the current draft meta of picking powerful scaling carries simply outmatches T1’s more ambitious draft picks such as the Nidalee jungle.
World Champions T1 in Danger of Not Qualifying to Defend Title
T1 has not been eliminated from Worlds contention. With both Playoffs victory and the Championship Points route closed now, their final hope for redemption lies in the Regional Finals set to take place next week.
As the 2023 Worlds Champion, their non-attendance would not only mean they will fail to defend their throne, it would also mark only the 4th time that the organization has failed to qualify for Worlds since joining the league.
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Credit: LCK
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