READ THIS FFS
Note: This is based purely on Closed Qualifiers with no previous or outside tournaments taken into consideration.
Note 2: I am not a reporter or analyst. This list is purely something I'm doing for the fun of it and is based off my judgement. Feel free to disagree or critique.
↑1 | 1. Optic - Back on top where they should be. Great games vs Sen going up 10-2 at half time in both games. Faltered a bit in the second half of both games but there could be so many reasons as to why no reason to speculate anything bad. Top of the region easily.
↑5 | 2. 100T - A stellar display vs XSET this week. This squad absolutely dominated on XSET's map pick winning 13-4. After a slow start on their own map pick, going down 5-7 at the half, they came back swinging on defense ending the game 13-9, only dropping 2 rounds. A great performance out of Will and Bang especially, giving Derrek a break from last week. This team can easily make a run in the playoffs. TSM kryptonite though?
↑1 | 3. XSET - Even though they got destroyed by 100T, I do still think they are one of the top teams in the group stage so far. Cryo and Zekken are both still insanely talented players and easily have the abilities to carry the team. I would still take this team to be a favorite at making the playoffs.
↑4 | 4. EG - What a showing from this team. Starting with 7 straight to open up map 1, they end the half 10-2. After some struggles in the second half, they manage to close out the map 13-7. Once again winning 10-2 at the half, they were a stone wall on defense before finishing the map with 3 straight on attack. This team has a really good chance at making the playoffs if they continue to perform at this level.
↑5 | 5. Ghost - Another team with another great performance, taking down a team considered to be the best or second best in the group. Winning 8-4 at the half on their map pick, they easily stopped NRG's attacks, only dropping 2 rounds and finishing 13-6. They continued their hot streak onto NRG's map pick, winning the first 8 rounds before dropping 3 of the last 4 and finishing the half 9-3. After losing pistol round, they take back round 14 before dropping round 15 and then proceeding to win out. Nismo had the performance of a lifetime finishing the series with 50 kills, twice as many as the second member on his team and 20 more than the top of NRG. A favorable pick to make playoffs should the performance continue, though unlikely to this level.
↓5 | 6. LG - Aight go on and clown me. "Oh you put LG at 1 you're insane." Everyone is still sleeping on this team and will use one match as confirmation bias. LG is still favorable to make the playoffs in my opinion. Even though they still have to play Optic and Cloud 9, this team has the ability to upset Optic or at least keep it close. Cloud 9 have also not been looking as good as they did Stage 1 so the match up should be interesting. A tough loss vs EG makes the group more interesting than before. Had they won this match, they would've joined Optic in securing their spot in the playoffs.
↑5 | 7. Guard - The squad went back to their old team comp and clearly it's worked. Each player seemed more comfortable on their old agents and it showed. Going down 5-7 at the half, they dominated on attack, only dropping 3 rounds to win TSM's map pick 13-10. They continued their assault on map 2, going up 8-4 on Icebox, one of TSM's best maps, before closing out 13-7. A team of talented young players, they still have a shot at making the playoffs despite their -18 round differential; however, how far can they really go if they aren't able to adapt to the new agent metas.
↓2 | 8. NRG - A roster that qualified for the Closed Qualifiers without dropping a map, they sure seem to have faltered in this match. Only winning 11 rounds across 2 maps, they looked lost vs Ghost. Winning only 4 defensive rounds and 2 attacking rounds in map 1, the 13-6 game wasn't even close. On their own map pick, they only managed 3 attacking wins and 2 defensive wins. This is nowhere near the capabilities of NRG. Though they have the lowest round differential at -19, I still think they have what it takes to make the playoffs. Only problem is they have to play against 100T, a team who seems to have everything figured out, and Guard, a team who figured out what works for them.
↓4 | 9. TSM - An absolute mess of a week. So many plays were uncoordinated and there just seemed to be a lack of communication between the players. They had pretty good attacking halves; however, their defense just fell apart. An unfortunate timing to play Guard as soon as they reverted to their old comp but that's how the game is. TSM still have a decent chance to make playoffs with their -4 round differential. A 2-3 score line might be enough to clench the 4th seed. Only issue is they play a red hot Ghost, who they've lost to in previous tournaments, and XSET, the gatekeepers.
↓7 | 10. C9 - Talked as the best team in NA before Stage 1 and a top 3 team in NA at the end of stage 1, they seem to have fallen apart. Only getting 4 rounds on attack and 1 on defense, especially on their own map pick, is not a good showing for a top tier team. They did a lot better on map 2, picking up 6 rounds on defense for a 6-6 half, they only won 2 rounds on attack before losing 13-8. I will still take this team over Faze as the better team; however, they do need to work out a lot of issues if they want to do well in the playoffs. Yes I said playoffs because I still think this team will make the playoffs guaranteed. They have a somewhat tough matchup against LG but then they get to play Sentinels to close out the group stage.
↓2 | 11. Faze - A strong performance against Cloud 9, they looked a lot better than they had previous weeks. They stomped with 8 rounds on defense and 5 rounds on attack, only dropping 1 to Cloud 9. Though they struggled a bit more on their own map pick, going 6-6 at the half, their defense held strong, only losing 2 rounds. Despite beating Cloud 9, I do still have to put Faze below Cloud 9. I'm not entirely convinced on this team's ability. They do still seem a bit too reliant on Babybay and Dicey to pop off in order to win games. The other members did play relatively well today, but the difference between the top 2 players (37 | 37) and the other 3 (29 | 25 | 23) is pretty large. While the 3 members do have many more assists, if either of their star players don't perform, they will struggle.
↓1 | 12. SEN - I mean, what's there really to say. While they did have 2 subs in, they just don't look good. The only 0-3 team in the group stage, the chances of them making it to playoffs are pretty much 0. The conditions that need to happen for them to make it are just too unlikely to happen. Going down 10-2 at the half for both maps, their other round wins could be just Optic throwing or trying new things. They might still have a chance for LCQ but their run at this tournament is pretty much over. Also the only technically underdog team that didn't upset this week, at least in my opinion and views on team strength.
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