Where the LTA North Teams Stand After Week One of Split 2 Playoffs

These teams won their games this week decisively, with 3–0 victories.  They will face off against each other on June 7^th.

FlyQuest (FLY)

Considered by many to be the best team in NA, FLY managed to soundly defeat C9 during the ranking stage before Playoffs.  However, their matches against SR to determine their placement in the Brackets weren’t as one-sided.

Though they were ultimately able to claim victory, SR did put up quite the fight.  Only the 1^st game was a categorical stomp for FLY.  That said, SR has been a bit of a dark horse throughout the Split, so this may not have any effect on FLY’s performance against C9.  After all, they did destroy them the last time they played against each other.

Cloud9 Kia (C9)

C9’s wins this week were, on paper, far better than FLY’s.  The games ended sooner, and the final scores were much more in C9’s favor than FLY’s were.  However, when you actually look at the games in full context, you see that TL was able to keep things balanced for most of the game and that C9 won less because of their specific plays and more because TL made bad calls.

This is not to say that C9 played badly.  Thanatos, Blaber, and Loki, in particular, deserve credit for their outplays, Steals, and tactical awareness.  So long as they don’t completely collapse like they did the last time they fought FLY, C9 has a good shot at winning their next matchup.

LTA North’s Lower Bracket

These teams either lost their matches this week or were already placed in this Bracket and didn’t play.  All of them still have a chance to win the Split, but it will be an uphill battle.

Shopify Rebellion (SR)

SR is the biggest tease in the entire Region.  They show such promise in most of their games to the point where you think that they might actually win, and then it all falls apart at the end because someone makes a game-losing mistake.

Fortunately for SR, the last time they played 100T, they won.  If they can manage to recreate this, they will be able to advance to the Lower Bracket Semifinals.  Considering 100T has even more of a tendency to “throw” than SR, this is a highly likely possibility.

Team Liquid (TL)

TL’s loss this week to C9 was undoubtedly incredibly frustrating for them.  It seemed as though every play they tried to pull was countered, and even when they did manage to get ahead, someone would make a bad call, and disaster would ensue.

If they can find a way to figure out how to make better calls, they still have a chance at victory.  That said, it seems their mental game isn’t quite up to snuff so that might be asking a bit much.

Dignitas (DIG)

DIG is not doing spectacularly this Split.  They haven’t exactly shown themselves to be memorable in either direction.  You could say that they are middle of the road.

Unfortunately for them, they will be facing off against TL, who, despite losing painfully to C9, are still a very strong team.  If DIG wants to have a chance of moving forward, they will need to play the game calmly and try to force TL into making bad calls.

100 Thieves (100T)

Where to begin with this team?  Of all the teams in NA, 100T is the most likely to throw a game.  It’s almost a meme at this point.  It’s like the story of the Tortoise and the Hare.  They get ahead early, get cocky, and then crash and burn in the end.

100T needs to give more respect over to their opponents, slow things down, and, as is the case with almost all NA teams this Split, stop getting caught out.  They have good players but that means nothing if they are dead half the time.