Things are hotting up in China's LPL Spring, which is into its seventh week, and it is becoming clearer which teams are on course for the playoffs and which could soon be heading home.
The S-Tier event, which is the first split of the LPL season, features an initial 17 teams playing in the regular season with only ten set to progress to the playoffs.
After this week of action, there are only three more full weeks remaining on the LPL Spring regular season calendar, meaning time is running out for the teams in the lower echelons of the table to push for the playoffs.
As it stands, LNG Esports are the team to beat in China this season with eight wins picked up from their first nine matches, while the likes of JD Gaming, Edward Gaming and Top Esports are also keeping pace at the summit.
At the other end of the table, meanwhile, Anyone's Legend and FunPlus Phoenix have been desperately struggling for points and will need a miracle to break into the top ten and secure a playoff berth.
On Wednesday, there are two more matches in week seven of the LPL Spring with Oh My God clashing with Ninjas in Pyjamas, and LGD Gaming locking horns with highflyers Weibo Gaming.
Oh My God should edge lowly Ninjas
| What | Oh My God vs Ninjas in Pyjamas, LPL Spring |
| Where | China |
| When | 09.00, Wednesday 1st March 2023 |
| How to watch | bet365 Sports Live Streaming, LPL Youtube & Twitch channels |
| Odds | Oh My God 4/9, Ninjas in Pyjamas 13/8 |
Oh My God finished either side of the playoff line in the LPL Spring and the LPL Summer last season, missing out in the former but advancing from the regular season in the latter, and they went into week seven just inside the top ten of the LPL Spring 2023.
They are often a team on the cusp of good things and their 4-4 win-loss record in this year's LPL Spring emphasises that.
At the end of week six, Oh My God concluded with a key win over Invictus Gaming - the team who had started the LPL Spring on fire - and that should do their confidence the world of good heading into this week's action.
They are 4/9 to win their next match against Ninjas in Pyjamas, who are 13/8 shots to prevail and those prices look about right.
While Oh My God are just inside the playoff positions, Ninjas in Pyjamas, formerly Victory Five, are a few places lower down with six defeats sustained in their nine matches this split.
They at least won their most recent game in the LPL Spring but that was against Anyone's Legend, who had a 1-8 win-loss record after that defeat and have been among the split's whipping boys.
Ninjas in Pyjamas are still finding their feet since the merge and Oh My God look a more settled side to back, but that doesn't mean this will not be an open game so punters should consider a 2-1 win for Oh My God at 11/5.
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Weibo should be far too strong for LGD
| What | LGD Gaming vs Weibo Gaming, LPL Spring |
| Where | China |
| When | 11.00, Wednesday 1st March 2023 |
| How to watch | bet365 Sports Live Streaming, LPL Youtube & Twitch channels |
| Odds | LGD Gaming 7/1, Weibo Gaming 1/16 |
Of the two LPL Spring matches taking place on Wednesday, this most definitely looks set to be the more one-sided match-up.
Weibo Gaming, who have been knocking on the door to make the top four, are 1/16 to get the better of LGD Gaming, who have lost six of their nine matches and are 7/1 shots to come out on top in this contest.
Having finished sixth in both of the splits in the 2022 season, Weibo Gaming are considered to be among the division's elite and they emphasised that during the offseason with victory in their namesake pre-season tournament the Weibo Cup.
As for LGD Gaming, they struggled to make an impact last year, finishing outside of the playoff positions in both splits with only seven wins picked up in total.
This season things look much the same and, although they managed to edge fellow strugglers FunPlus Phoenix 2-1 last time out, they had lost four of their five matches beforehand.
This looks like a straightforward success for Weibo Gaming, who will surely be thinking about the playoffs by now, with a win by a 2-0 scoreline priced at 4/11.
