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NA got pretty easy draws and is going to semis this year.

Palmeiras SerieB·9/23/2018, 2:06:19 PM·1 votes·1,459 views

Team Liquid was placed in the same group as Team MAD (Taiwan runner-up), and all Taiwan teams besides Flash Wolves are weak. Team Liquid may not be able to overcome KT Rolster, but they can easily get 2nd place in this group

100 Thieves was placed against Fnatic (the weakest seed 1) and Invictus Gaming (chokers), I dare to say they have a fair chance to advance in 1st place in a group like that.

If both happens, be sure the quarters will be Team Liquid vs 100 Thieves

Cloud9 has to go through play-ins, against Kabum (Brazil, used to be decent for wildcard standards, now a piece of garbage) and Detonation (Japan, no comments). I would not say it's the weakest group, but it's an very easy 1st place, and they'll destroy whatever comes in 2nd place from other groups, the only threat being the Turkish team, Supermassive.

After this, Cloud9 will probably get placed in group 1, against Flash Wolves, Afreeca Freecs and Phong Vu Buffalo. I wouldn't risk to say they're okay. Afreeca is definitely the strongest team. FW and PVB are trouble as well.

This is the year, NA is going to semis. Cap this.

13 Comments

hshtagniemehrcdu9/23/2018, 3:56:08 PM4 votes

That's what they say every year. I would wait...

Lauchmelder9/23/2018, 9:22:45 PM2 votes

That's what they said last year after week 1 as well. And we know how that turned out.

Just Chrissy9/23/2018, 11:42:02 PM2 votes

100T 1st in their group OMEGALUL Also is C9, G2 and EDG all leave the play ins then C9 is guaranteed to be in group B. Semi finals OMEGALUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL

GeminiRune9/23/2018, 5:31:49 PM1 votes

I rather wait and see than talk out the optimism and pessimism now. To me, every team - from the top perceived teams to the play-in teams - has something to at least grind out to prove while having a potential to actually mess up.

Case in point for the IG statement in Group D: I can't see any grounds to establish them as "Chokers" as a weakness. If it's just the summer playoff finals, I don't think that's enough and I don't count the Spring Playoffs because that game 5 was more of a blowout; they didn't choke that game away. I rather point out IG's game-for-game trends being the weakness that makes for anyone else to have a chance to get out 1st factor.

I state this gauging how they've perform where sure they've won but since post Rift Rivals, a good amount of their series has been pretty spotty going full three games; not like their near perfect Spring Reg Season. Translating that into Bo1, the other teams do have some dirt to dig onto how to outmatch them. The question is: will they? I rather just see it cause hell: Misfits. End of reason.

ModPrandine9/23/2018, 9:10:35 PM1 votes

Well we'll see. Yes C9 will most likely make it out of play-ins and into groups since they did it last time, but we'll see as anything can happen after all. Aside from that though until NA actually makes it to semis I'll believe it when I see it.

Ailiekpai9/23/2018, 9:36:54 PM1 votes

If any of the NA teams get out of groups - which looks doubtful, barring some massive upset at play-ins - it will not be easy at all. TL has KT already and will get either EDG or G2, neither of which is "easy". 100T is ... 100T. They're not good and their playstyle doesn't match up well against that of FNC and IG, who are both very aggressive early and mid-game teams. If the NA, CH and EU all make it out of play-ins, C9 is automatically slotting into group B. Good luck coming out of there.

In other words, I fail to see where you got your optimistic conclusions from.

Just Jangle9/24/2018, 1:19:22 AM1 votes

http://i.imgur.com/i6JqI0Y.gif

TheBentOn39/23/2018, 4:30:36 PM1 votes

Yeah, we've heard this story before, we all know how it ends. All of NAs teams will be in position to advance at the end of week one, they'll choke in week two, and maybe one team will sneak in to the quarters only to get blasted.

I hoping it'll be different this year, but as the saying goes, I'll believe it when I see it.

BigBellBrute9/23/2018, 4:55:02 PM1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Palmeiras SerieB,realm=NA,application-id=9hBQwnEU,discussion-id=55ZE4nNF,comment-id=,timestamp=2018-09-23T14:06:19.616+0000)

Team Liquid was placed in the same group as Team MAD (Taiwan runner-up), and all Taiwan teams besides Flash Wolves are weak. Team Liquid may not be able to overcome KT Rolster, but they can easily get 2nd place in this group

100 Thieves was placed against Fnatic (the weakest seed 1) and Invictus Gaming (chokers), I dare to say they have a fair chance to advance in 1st place in a group like that.

If both happens, be sure the quarters will be Team Liquid vs 100 Thieves

Cloud9 has to go through play-ins, against Kabum (Brazil, used to be decent for wildcard standards, now a piece of garbage) and Detonation (Japan, no comments). I would not say it's the weakest group, but it's an very easy 1st place, and they'll destroy whatever comes in 2nd place from other groups, the only threat being the Turkish team, Supermassive.

After this, Cloud9 will probably get placed in group 1, against Flash Wolves, Afreeca Freecs and Phong Vu Buffalo. I wouldn't risk to say they're okay. Afreeca is definitely the strongest team. FW and PVB are trouble as well.

This is the year, NA is going to semis. Cap this.

Here is the rub. If all four of the favorites to make it out of play ins make it, then G2 must go into A or C. C9 must go into A or B. EDG must go into A or C. G Rex, by virtue of nobody else being eligible, would have to go into Group D. And then as the only one left that can go into B, C9 would have to go there.
So C9 gets the group of death and LQ gets either G2 or EDG.

Hmmmmm. Not so great a draw as it first looked is it?

Group D is lookinig EZ. And if anyone else but 100t was in there, I'd love NA's chances. But c9 in the group of death isn't looking too hot and LQ with EDG in it is looking a bit more difficult too.