Who you guys think winning these qualifiers? I got C9 and 100t This time.
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NA Closed Qualifier Predictions
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1. C9 (I think their drive with push them over OpTic)
2. OpTic (They are OpTic.)
3. XSET (Cryo Clause)
4. Gaurd (Very balenced squad, want to see how they bounce back and deal with more focus from teams)
5. Luminostiy (Bdog and Mada Clause)
6. NRG (Just not the right comp to beat the best imo)
7. 100T (Too new, very well can go much higher or lower in my mind)
8. Sentinals(Sentinal's win and lose rounds in 2 seconds flat. They can still do things no other team can dream of.)
9. FaZe (How long does it hold out, that is the question. I don't think they'll last much longer)
10. TSM (Same as FaZe, i feel like their plays will just stop working)
11. EG (They can do good stuff, i just have them at a lower ceiling than Optic's floor)
12. Ghost(Same as EG. Can make a run with lower teams, can't do much further than that).
Bold is teams that can play at a 1 or 2 seed NA level.
Italics is for teams that can just have that one guy take over and push them there, unlike bold which is more team.
These players are:
- Cryo
- Tenz
- Mada
- bdog
Yay and Leaf, for example, are not here. Their teams do not need this from them, or else the team would be in such a place that it would affect the two of their play. Like if C9 needs Leaf to hard carry them, that's not a C9 that can win regardless of any Leaf performance. The 4 players above can operate dropping 40 with a safe team environment.
To reiterate: C9 is not a team that should have leaf dropping 30 kills. They are a balenced, multi-front team, with great strats and an overall equal spread that if leaf is dropping 30, it's way less likely to be a pop-off, and more of a rescue. C9 is built for the team, not for Leaf. In contrast, the Kanpeki pickup was meant to boost Tenz's overall ability, as well as adding to the team as a whole. Sentinal's is built now to have an critical aspect around Tenz. For example, in almost every single match in Open quals (1 and 2) Tenz has been top of his team in kills or ACS, all but like 3 or 4 individual maps. Even today, 27 on Icebox. That's expected of him in order for them to win. Leaf is a top of NA duelist/fragger, but he is not the focus of play for C9 like Cryo or Tenz is for their teams.
Slashed is teams i think don't have the peak to get a 1 or 2 spot NA. NRG, can prove me wrong, but i look at them and i see a team that gets 1, maybe 2, wins in playoffs and than is just outclassed.
I dont agree with your take on TSM and SEN. I feel like TSMs lack of reliance of fragging power and their focus on good gunplay and coordination is what will set them apart from the rest. I think 100T are similar and they have the same strengths especially with how sean handles the team but you already put them up higher soooo.
With Sen I feel like sure right now as we see them they might not reach very high up at all but just by looking at them you can see theyre trying out new things that they havent even perfected yet and set plays that arent even going according to plan yet theyre still able to wipe a team like Akrew on Akrews best map. Tenz has also been showing a lot more promise than even the match against V1 and that could potentially be the Tenz factor we saw in Iceland
What I saw from TSM (and in the same sense NRG) was a team no one knew could play that well. I'm not sold on TSM. I will push that they will do worse than SEN. For example, TSM has a basically brand new squad setup, an unknown map pool, and overall unpredictability. They have great, great potential, and in the same sense as Faze, it's a question of if that unpredictability was what won them the game or just an extra boost. When it comes to SEN, they had an overhaul of their system from this open qualifier from their VCT days. Kanpeki is going to get better and better. The more he does, the more freedom it gives Tenz. The more Tenz does, the more space he allows Shaz, Sick and Dapr to work. With Rawkus back on SEN, Shaz is going to play better and more lost. I only see an improved SEN coming in between now and the start of the next open. Finally, 100T. As you cab see from my team flair, I love Derrek. 100T can be the top of NA. Derrek us amazing, not only at his role, but in pure fragging power. Will is a great duelist, and Stellar us looking quite, well, Stellar. Bang and Asuna are critical though, but they definitely improved a LOT recently. Bang's consistently and versatility is amazing now. Asuna is still getting used to a flex role, but with how good he is, he'll be the head of a very potent spear that us 100T. Don't forget, they also have the (arguably) best management in at least NA, and some of the best globally.
I stand by my claims until I see it disproved by TSM (and faze).
I stand by my claims until Kanpeki either caps or flounders, causing another downfall of the Sentinals.
I stand that 100T has the ability to peak NA, even over the likes of OpTic one day.
SEN are too inconsistent imo. They will need some more time to figure out how to properly play with Kanpeki and they will need to put the work in. They cleaned the lower bracket, yes, but they still made fundamental mistakes that cost them so so many rounds. Shazam as an IGL needs to be more assertive and not allow so many hero plays to be attempted mid-game. Only than, they can be SEN of early 2021.
100T are RAPIDLY improving and playing coordinated and cohesive. They are a team to beat as of right now, but in the long run, we could be looking at a Champs contender IF they keep improving and eliminating some mistakes they have made.
Guard, Optic and C9 can beat out each other one day, and than lose against each other, the very next day.
I would say Cloud9 are my main pick for a number one seed, but its a bias, as I love how they jump from a loose playstyle one round and than have a killer set piece strategy the very next round. OPTIC on the other hand, they just read their opponents so well and are easily the best team rn when it comes to mid-round adaptations and post-timeout adjustments.
My placing of SEN is strictly based on that if Kanpeki gets better, it rapidly improves the team. What Kan accomplishes by getting better, results in more space for Tenz. Tenz us still the top 5 fragger in NA thar we are used to, and what makes Kanpeki better results in more freedom for him. What results from these two being more comfortable allows Dapr to work the map more efficiently and effectively, and allows Shaz to manipulate that space much better too. My belief in SEN is just a belief that Kanpeki will improve into that "Victor" to Tenz "Yay". Victor and Yay support eachother do well by giving eachother freedom while not even needing to be together. That's what Kanpeki can to for Tenz, and that is a SEN team that can win.
Basically SEN can fulfill an OpTic build. High class fragger, uber-supportive flex, insane smoke player and great support from the rest of the squad. That's why I think SEN can get a top 2 spot in NA.
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