MPL Philippines Season 15: The Battle for the Top 2 and the Last Playoff Spot
Photo from MPL Philippines / Richard Esguerra
MPL Philippines Season 15: The Battle for the Top 2 and the Last Playoff Spot
MAKATI – As the final games of MPL Philippines Season 15 regular season loom large, the competition has intensified, with the race for the top spots heating up. With just a few matches left, four teams are battling for the coveted upper bracket positions, while Omega and Twisted Minds fight it out for the final playoff spot.
Let’s dive into the current standings, matchups, and scenarios that will shape the playoffs as teams make their final push for supremacy.
The Road to the Upper Bracket: Who Will Secure the Top 2 Spots?
The upper bracket provides teams with a crucial advantage in the playoffs: an extra life to fall back on. With just a handful of matches left, the top two spots are still very much up for grabs. Here’s a look at the contenders fighting for those prime positions and how they can clinch their spots in the playoffs.
Aurora (11 pts) – Matches Left: Team Liquid PH, Team Falcons PH
Aurora currently sits in the best position with 11 points, needing only one win to lock in their spot in the upper bracket. Should they win both remaining matches, they will finish with 13 points, securing the 1st seed. They’ll face Team Liquid PH and Team Falcons PH, both of which are critical matchups that will determine whether they can clinch that top spot. RORA can also clinch the upper bracket should ONIC lose to one of their matches.
With an impressive performance so far, the Northern Lights have the momentum, but they still need to seal the deal in these last few matches.
Team Liquid PH (10 pts) – Matches Left: TNC, Aurora
Just behind Aurora with 10 points, Team Liquid PH needs to win both of their remaining matches to finish with 12 points, potentially locking in their spot in the upper bracket. However, they’ll need to face a tough Aurora squad in their final match.
Thankfully for the Cavalry, if they will get a sweep win against TNC and a game win against Aurora, this can potentially lock their seat to the upper bracket
ONIC Philippines (9 pts) – Matches Left: Omega, Twisted Minds
ONIC’s journey to the upper bracket is still possible but requires some help. After already securing wins against Aurora and Team Liquid PH in their return fixtures, ONIC needs to beat both struggling sides Omega and Twisted Minds in their final matches to reach 11 points.
However, even with a perfect finish, they needed a TNC win over Team Liquid in order to have a better shot at top two, while hoping Aurora to take the game against the Cavalry to have a great shot of jumping to second.
Team Falcons PH (8 pts) – Matches Left: AP.Bren, Aurora
At 8 points, Team Falcons PH faces an uphill battle to secure a top 2 finish. Their maximum possible points are 10, and even if they win both of their remaining matches, they needed favorable sweeps to have at least sneak to the top two spot.
Falcons will need stellar performances in their final matches, and they’ll also be hoping for a series of favorable results across the board to make a late charge into the upper bracket. It’s a long shot, but they aren’t out of the race yet.
The Final Playoff Spot: Smart Omega vs Twisted Minds PH
While the race for the top 2 spots is captivating, the battle for the 6th playoff spot is equally tense, with Smart Omega and Twisted Minds both eyeing the last remaining playoff berth.
Omega (2 pts) – Matches Left: ONIC Philippines, Team Falcons PH
The Barangay, with only 2 points, must win both of their remaining matches to reach 4 points and tie with Twisted Minds. However, they are at a disadvantage, having lost both of their head-to-head matchups with Twisted Minds.
Omega’s path is narrow: they must secure huge upsets over ONIC and Team Falcons PH, but even then, they’ll need Twisted Minds to lose against the Sonics in order to force a tiebreaker scenario. The stakes are high, and Omega’s playoff hopes will depend on both their performance and Twisted Minds’ result.
Twisted Minds PH (3 pts) – Matches Left: ONIC Philippines
With 3 points, Twisted Minds is in a better position than Omega. They need only 1 win against ONIC to secure 4 points and make the playoffs. If Twisted Minds manages to win their final match, they will secure the 6th playoff spot. Even if they lose, their fate will still be tied to Omega’s results.
A loss for Twisted Minds would not necessarily eliminate them, but it would force Omega to win both of their matches to have a chance at advancing. Given the schedule, the odds can play in the Minds’ favor.
The final countdown
As the final week of MPL Philippines Season 15 approaches, the race for the upper bracket and the final playoff spot is coming down to the wire. With teams like Aurora, Team Liquid PH, ONIC, and Team Falcons PH all in contention for the top 2 positions, the matches ahead will be crucial in shaping the playoff picture. At the same time, Omega and Twisted Minds are locked in a tight battle for the 6th and final playoff spot, adding even more intensity to the season’s final stretch.
Every game from here on out matters, and with the unpredictability of the league, anything can happen. As these teams fight for their playoff spots, fans can expect more high-stakes matches and fierce competition, making this one of the most exciting seasons of MPL Philippines yet.
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