Liiv Sandbox (LSB) has come alive in recent weeks and is now 3rd in the LCK standings. Hence, we talk about their outstanding run and more.
LSB has been a revelation alongside Nongshim RedForce this split as they keep surging in the standings. With the great standoff between NS and LSB yesterday, LSB puts themselves in 3rd and perhaps will keep their position for the playoffs. Let’s talk about this team, their success, and how good are they really.
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Liiv SANDBOX’s Run
Barring their first series of the split, LSB has been a good team in the LCK. In the first round-robin, they take down HLE, T1, and push AF, Gen.G to 3 games. They looked better than they did in Spring and looked to be a playoff team. However, when the second round-robin hit, the team hit a different gear, beating Gen.G, T1, NS back to back. The thriller against NS yesterday is a testament to their journey so far and how they have improved. This landed them in the 3rd spot of the standings currently.
The one thing that definitely stands out with their win streak is how close the games have been for them. The wins against Gen.G, T1, and NS all went the full 3 games and many of those games were close calls. LSB has shown the capabilities of winning in close games with some key decisions and taking objectives. Let’s talk about the team and their strengths.
Liiv SANDBOX As A Team
Even though they have come to prominence out of nowhere for some people, it was not exactly unexpected. Last split, they showed signs of being a solid team but some bad decisions often totaled their games. This split, that has turned around quite a bit. Their decision-making has been crisp and it shows in their games. The biggest part of that is Croco stepping up and the team understanding their limits during games.
One thing LSB does really well is to move around the map well. They are one of the top teams in the LCK in taking the first 3 towers and half of the time, contests, and gets objectives in the league which prioritizes early objectives. Also, they are a proactive team and don’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
Their main player is undoubtedly FATE. FATE has been good in the past splits and he has now stepped up as a mid laner in the LCK. In recent games, he has had the pop-off games on the Ryze, Lucian, and Irelia and has proven to be a reliable carry for LSB. Prince and Effort have also been great in the bot lane as a duo. The change from Leo/Route to Prince has undoubtedly worked out for them thus far. Summit has been in good form as of late but he has more room to improve while Croco has been a good jungler for the team.
The team is not that great of a teamfighting team but more of a solid macro team with good decision-making and taking advantage when it’s there. Also, they are not one of those teams that hang back while they bleed out and are willing to take a few chances.
How Far Will Liiv SANDBOX Go?
We can’t quite speculate about the playoffs yet given we don’t know about the matchups yet. However, we can extrapolate where they will end up in the standings. For their last four series, they have to play HLE, BRO, KT, and DK in that order. Against HLE, BRO, and KT, LSB should be favorites but they should not underestimate those teams. DK on the other hand will be a tough match-up and one that might determine seeding as well. In our estimation, LSB should be 4th in the LCK behind Gen.G, NS, and DK if it goes as we expect it to.
In Conclusion
Liiv SANDBOX has had quite an excellent run in the Summer Split so far. With them rising to prominence, it shows how some of the lower ranked teams from the last split have improved this time around. It is also a refreshing thing to see in the LCK as it is not being dominated by one team. Regardless, it is nice to see LSB rise up to the challenge and we hope they can keep it up.
