NAVI Will win
The LEC Versus 2026 playoffs continue, and with each passing day, fewer teams remain in the tournament. In turn, we are continuing with our predictions. This time, we will take a look at the Lower Bracket Quarterfinals match between Natus Vincere and GIANTX. We have prepared a brief breakdown of the upcoming matchup: we evaluated the current form of the rosters and the results of their recent meetings in the regular season to determine the favorite. Continuing our betting predictions section, we present our analytics for the Natus Vincere - GIANTX match.
The series will be played in a Bo3 format and will be defining for both squads. Given the tournament situation, this match is highly decisive: the losing team concludes their run and leaves the competition.
Bookmakers Offers For The Match Natus Vincere vs GIANTX
Bookmakers have already determined the favorite for the upcoming match. The odds for a Natus Vincere victory range from 1.70 to 1.75. Analysts have slightly less faith in GIANTX's success: the probability of their win is estimated at odds of around 2.00.
Overall, these odds are completely justified, considering the teams' recent performances in the tournament and their current form in general. Most likely, NAVI will dictate their own terms in this encounter and emerge as the winners, advancing to the next stage of the competition.
Natus Vincere vs GIANTX Line-Ups
Natus Vincere approach this matchup with an updated roster, for which this season will serve as the first full-fledged test on the big stage. Despite the fact that three of the players previously competed at the tier-2 level, their performance at LEC Versus 2026 has already forced every opponent in the league to reckon with them. Even considering that the coaching staff is also still adjusting to the tier-1 environment, the squad stands out from the rest due to their capacity for extremely rapid adaptation and consistent progress from match to match.
GIANTX, on the other hand, placed their bets on continuity, keeping their roster from the previous year completely intact. For a young organization, this decision appears strategically sound: over the past year, the team has managed to establish itself as a solid and stable mid-tier competitor. The lack of roster changes provides the players with a significant advantage in terms of synergy and team chemistry, which should ultimately help them convert their accumulated experience into better results in the current season.
Natus Vincere Form & Performance
Since the current Natus Vincere roster was formed recently, their form can be evaluated solely based on their performances at LEC Versus 2026. First of all, the team stands out with their exemplary objective control: at the moment, NAVI lead the league in securing early objectives (first towers, dragons, etc.). The squad's strongest points are their ability to impose a high tempo and their exceptional teamfighting skills - arguably some of the best in the league right now.
NAVI finished the regular season in second place with a 7-4 record, defeating several tournament favorites along the way. One of their few losses in the regular season happened in the match against Fnatic - back then, NAVI dominated almost the entire map but unfortunately let the victory slip away. However, they managed to take a convincing revenge in the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals. Despite the skepticism of experts who believed the team was not yet ready for Bo3 series, Natus Vincere crushed Fnatic with a 2:0 score. The victory looked so convincing that it seemed as if their opponents were the newcomers to the scene, while NAVI had been playing together for years.
Nevertheless, the situation changed in the Upper Bracket Semifinals against MKOI. Although MKOI did not have the most stable regular season, they demonstrated a very high level of preparation in the Bo3 format. In this matchup, it became noticeable that the Natus Vincere players still lack experience competing on the tier-1 scene in stressful situations, which ultimately affected the final result.
Most popular Natus Vincere Champions
Here are Natus Vincere most picked champions and those with the highest win rates from the regular season.
- Azir - 5 games - 80% winrate
- K'Sante - 4 games - 75% winrate
- Sion - 4 games- 100% winrate
- Aatrox - 4 games- 75% winrate
- Ambessa - 3 games - 66% winrate
- Taliyah - 3 games - 66% winrate
- Yunara - 3 games - 100% winrate
- Aphelios - 3 games - 66% winrate
- Rakan - 3 games - 66% winrate
- Rumble - 3 games - 33% winrate
In the current meta, Natus Vincere stand out with their proactivity and ability to dictate their own pace to opponents. The team demonstrates a deep understanding of their draft: they clearly distinguish the moments when it is necessary to engage in a fight, and when it is more beneficial to concede an objective for the sake of farming.
At the same time, NAVI never give up an advantage for free. Any action by the opponent on the map is met with an immediate response: the squad promptly executes rotations, punishing opponents with a split-push on the opposite lane or making quick strikes against isolated targets.
GIANTX Form & Performance
GIANTX spent the previous competitive season as a clear mid-tier team in the league, repeatedly finishing around fifth or sixth place at the end of the splits. Such stability provided certain guarantees, but the lack of visible growth in results required action. The club's management decided to keep the current five players, so the responsibility for changes fell on the shoulders of the esports athletes themselves - they had to re-evaluate their macro game and tactical approaches. At the end of the regular season, the squad tied for fourth and fifth place. This is a perfectly acceptable result, although more was expected from an established roster. Many attributed the team's somewhat relaxed state in the final rounds of the regular season to their already guaranteed playoff spot. It seemed as though GIANTX were intentionally hiding their best strategies for the decisive series.
However, the transition to the playoffs showed that their fundamental problems had not disappeared, and Bo3 matches are still very difficult for the team. To be fair, it is worth noting that in the first round of the upper bracket (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals), GIANTX faced the most difficult opponent possible - Karmine Corp, who currently look like the main contenders for the championship title. The defeat in this match was expected and sent the team down to the lower bracket.
Dropping down to Lower Bracket Round 1, GIANTX faced Team Heretics. This series turned out to be very close and tense. GIANTX players made a large number of unforced errors, which dragged the match out and ended with a 2:1 score, even though the team had every chance to play cleaner and close out their opponent 2:0.
The squad's main weakness remains their uncertain macro play and systematic avoidance of dragon fights, which are of key importance in the current meta. GIANTX rarely secure first blood and almost never take early towers, preferring to sit back in deep defense. They can only impose their pace when the opponent willingly gives up the initiative. A prime example was their match against MKOI: at that time, the opponent acted as passively as possible and took no proactive steps on the map, which allowed GIANTX to turn on the aggression with impunity. However, it is already visible that the team has started to correct this mistake, engaging in dragon fights more often and preparing the ground to secure the dragons themselves.
Most popular GIANTX Champions
Here are GIANTX most picked champions and those with the highest win rates from the regular season.
- Rakan — 5 games - 60% winrate
- Jarvan IV — 5 games - 40% winrate
- Orianna — 5 games - 40% winrate
- Azir — 5 games - 40% winrate
- KSante — 4 games - 25% winrate
- Rumble — 3 games - 66% winrate
- Taliyah — 2 games - 50% winrate
- Bard — 3 games - 66% winrate
- Corki — 3 games - 33% winrate
- KaiSa — 3 games - 66% winrate
The statistics only confirm that GIANTX prefer to play reactively. The team rarely gets first bloods and almost never secures early towers. The players try to lane as carefully as possible and act defensively, but such a passive style often backfires on them.
In matches against strong teams that know how to snowball an early advantage and seize map control, GIANTX simply get lost. Top-tier squads deny them any space, causing them to completely fall out of the game and fail to execute their original game plan.
Natus Vincere vs GIANTX Head-To-Head
Since these rosters had not crossed paths before, their only head-to-head meeting took place quite recently - during the third week of the LEC Versus 2026 regular season. That match was played in a Bo1 format, and GIANTX secured the victory.
This victory cannot be attributed to mere luck, but it is crucial to consider the broader context of the game itself. In that match, NAVI openly experimented during the champion select phase and ultimately locked in a rather uncomfortable draft, which they failed to execute properly. However, it is important to keep in mind one of Natus Vincere's primary strengths - their exceptional ability to learn from their mistakes. Both the players and the coaching staff thoroughly analyze any flaws, promptly address them, and showcase increasingly confident and polished gameplay with every new stage appearance.
Best Pick For Match Natus Vincere vs GIANTX
Based on the team's current form, their level of play, and raw statistical data, Natus Vincere are the clear favorites in my eyes for this match. They showcase better macro execution, strong teamfighting, and are facing a fairly comfortable opponent. I believe that in this series, NAVI will opt for a more reliable and comfortable draft, which will allow them to accelerate the pace and dictate their own game.
Betting Prediction: Natus Vincere win.
Kiril Batulin
Kirill is a writer of articles and blogs at eGamersWorld, having joined the team in 2024. His primary focus is analytics and crafting content about esports. With years of experience in gaming, Kirill brings deep industry insights to deliver high-quality and engaging materials.
