Being Placed in Groups Was a Blessing

Throughout all of the LANs, it seems that teams need some time to get used to the LAN environment, especially newer and younger rosters.

At Berlin, Gambit lost to 100T in groups but went on to win the title.

At Champions, Kru lost to Liquid in groups before making their run.

At Reykyavik, Zeta lost to DRX in groups but significantly improved their form after that. Even Optic lost to Xerxia before winning.

On the flip side, let's look at Guard and LOUD. Both teams placed directly into playoffs, but lost when the pressure was on them. Losing in groups seems to be a good way for teams to get rid of their nerves and improve their form, while directly playing playoffs can be a challenge for some.

Dont place LOUD in the same group as the Guard, LOUD actually won series against good teams, just didnt play up to par in the finals