3 NA teams to worlds predictions

Juggernaut628·Jul 9, 2016·2 votes·1,286 views

It seems like the three teams going to worlds this year for NA will be TSM, Immortals, and Team Liquid. Who do you think will make it?

17 Comments

tplegs0708Jul 9, 20161 votes

c9 or NV might make a run at TL for it but overall TSM and IMT are insanely strong this meta and agreed to your guesses

XantakJul 10, 20161 votes

I'm predicting TSM as the #1 seed, IMT at #2, and for the final seed, it's a tossup, because of the points and gauntlet.

TurquoiseYoshiJul 10, 20161 votes

Agreed with IMT and TSM, everything works for them right now. But after that... it's a crapshoot trying to guess it. TL seems to have the inner track, but C9 or NV can right themselves very easily, and CLG still has lots of points left over from Spring. Since the fight between those four will likely come from the qualifier tourney, it's going to be even more of a toss-up.

Juggernaut628Jul 10, 20161 votes

With the looks of things NV will never make it to worlds this season. Too many teams are beating them for them to be able to climb the qualifiers. They would have to either win playoffs or get very lucky to have any shot at worlds.

TurquoiseYoshiJul 10, 20161 votes

We've seen some silly stuff in the playoffs and qualifier before. And since it looks like NRG won't qualify for playoffs, they'll likely get a qualifier bid just from being in the playoffs.

ShadowatomJul 10, 20162 votes

Not if they fall into the relegation zone of 8-10th, maybe they can pull off an Elements and barely stay in 7th though while shoving Apex into the Relegation Tourney.

TurquoiseYoshiJul 10, 20161 votes

The way the points work, NV getting a summer first round loss in playoffs gives more points than NRG's spring first round loss in playoffs. So they'll still sit at the lowest total unless they can somehow push CLG into relegation or make playoffs themselves.

ShadowatomJul 10, 20161 votes

I think I misunderstood your post and thought you were talking about NRG getting a qualifier bid despite them potentially losing all their points due to bottom 3 placement ^.^'

anonymous119Jul 10, 20161 votes

TL and imt are strong teams. They've always been strong teams. However, people blindly saying oh yeah that means they're going to represent NA at worlds are overlooking the main problem both teams have always struggled with.

They choke during the post season. I am a huge huni fan, but I'm not even sure I'd want him representing NA until he can perform when it matters most.

ShadowatomJul 10, 20161 votes

Immortals performed in one post-season thus far and despite dying to TSM, they in turn killed Team Liquid. Huni and Reignover were both part of Fnatic last season when they won the EU playoffs both splits and made it to the semifinals of Worlds, so... I think it's a decent bet to say that Huni can perform when it matters.

I really doubt Immortals can be considered a "choke" team when they've only been in one post-season. And unless CLG can make some amazing comeback during the playoffs (which is possible, but I think they need to show improvement before anyone can say they'll make it through Immortals or TSM), I think Immortals is practically a shoe in to Worlds simply through points alone (the other possibility being that TSM exits playoffs early with Immortals and win in the third place match, but even that's currently doubtful).

Smart KittyJul 11, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Immortals performed in one post-season thus far and despite dying to TSM, they in turn killed Team Liquid. Huni and Reignover were both part of Fnatic last season when they won the EU playoffs both splits and made it to the semifinals of Worlds, so... I think it's a decent bet to say that Huni can perform when it matters.

I really doubt Immortals can be considered a "choke" team when they've only been in one post-season. And unless CLG can make some amazing comeback during the playoffs (which is possible, but I think they need to show improvement before anyone can say they'll make it through Immortals or TSM), I think Immortals is practically a shoe in to Worlds simply through points alone (the other possibility being that TSM exits playoffs early with Immortals and win in the third place match, but even that's currently doubtful).

Well I wouldn't say they are a shoe in with 50 points, CLG and TL could beat them out if they don't finish 2nd, and even if they do, if CLG just make it to 3rd, they still get 2nd seed. Honestly, IMT best shot for worlds isn't only them playing well, but other teams playing badly.

Miror BJul 10, 20161 votes

I'm in the same boat as everyone else, but my third team is a bit "unusual".

-IMT will be the first seed, beating TSM in a "grudge match" from spring. -TSM will be the second seed, with their Top/JG becoming a "cause for concern" similar to what happened last year at worlds where people camped CLG's top lane for easy wins -CLG will be the third seed, but I entirely expect them to finish around the bottom of the board (6th/7th) only to make it to worlds in a manner similar to what C9 did last year.

GixiaJul 11, 20161 votes

I wouldn't say TSM's Top/JG are cause for concern. Hell, lately Svenskeren is practically taking more of the opponent's jungle than his own, he's beating his opponents so hard. Meanwhile, Hauntzer may get focused a lot, but unlike Dyrus near the end, Hauntzer is doing just fine staying in there. Not only that, but where Dyrus was often just abandoned to his fate, TSM is showing much more willingness to actually back Hauntzer up. So I wouldn't say Top/Jg is any 'cause for concern'.

If there's any flaw with TSM right now, it's ironically the opposite problem of what they used to have. TSM used to be a team that played too safe and was afraid to make plays, whereas now they're so deadset on making plays that sometimes they commit too hard to bad calls. See Game 1 against Apex today when they did that terrible dive on mid-inhib-tower as an example. THAT'S their 'cause for concern', because if they do that against a top tier Korean team that's skilled enough to punish a huge misplay like that, they could be in trouble.

warpenguin555Jul 10, 20161 votes

Once C9 get their heads out of their asses they could take the 3rd slot

Kempachi TaichouJul 10, 20161 votes

Everyone and their grandmother are dismissing CLG... It means you aren't paying attention and that's okay, but don't be shocked when they make their push!

ShadowatomJul 10, 20161 votes

CLG is looking better, but Liquid is having a strong surge as well and they didn't fall into the bottom 3 for half the split, so it makes sense that CLG isn't being considered too highly atm. They're starting to fix their mistakes, but they still have quite a bit to work on, and even if they do get to World if they don't get it together, they're going to have a swift exit. They very well could and I wouldn't be surprised, but in their current state it's doubtful.

Smart KittyJul 11, 20161 votes

TSM are almost certainly #1 seed at this point. People keep saying #3 is a tossup, but #2 is as well. There's still a few things that have to go right for IMT to get #2:

Not only do they have to finish the playoffs in 2nd place, they have to hope CLG doesn't finish 3rd.
If they don't finish in 2nd, they have to hope clg finishes 5th/6th or CLG still gets 2nd seed, and they have to hope TL doesn't finish 2nd or 2nd seed goes to TL.
TSM have to finish first, if any other team does (unless its them ofc, then they'll get 1st seed), CLG or TSM will most likely get 2nd seed.

IMT are looking solid to be the 2nd seed, but the third place finish last split might really come back to haunt them now. Not only do they have to perform well enough to get 1st or 2nd in the playoffs, they have to hope the other teams show up well enough for CLG to finish 4th or lower. Or best case scenario, CLG doesn't even make playoffs.

Now the #3 seed is pretty much anyone's for the taking. While this will most likely be C9 or TL, it could also be CLG or maybe even IMT. I don't think Envy, Apex, or NRG will be good enough to get this seed, but there's still a chance.

At the moment the best looking outcome is TSM at #1, IMT at #2, TL at #3.

What I hope the outcome will be is TSM #1, CLG #2, TL at #3.