Split : FNC
Bind : Optic
Ascent : Slight lean Optic.
Icebox : FNC
Breeze : FNC
Fracture : Optic (Easily their best map in M1)
Haven : slight lean FNC

Don't even hate EMEA teams. Their fans are insufferable though.

Yeah, fnatic looking good. Would be shocked in they don't get top 3. Of course they have to show up in playoffs first, so we'll see.

Emea had a superiority complex to the point if they didn't win, it's obviously not their fault.

Typical delusional EU fan.

Sure, but people keep acting like Fnatic was some invincible force that would've beaten everyone.

Considering G2 won't be there to let the region down, maybe you're right.

Assuming nothing bad happens, Copenhagen should be the best, I agree.
I'm not sold on fnatic though, they still lost to G2. FPX probably gets top 3 masters though if not first, I agree.
However, there were no pushovers this Masters, which is more what I'm referring to, Optic didn't have a single easy matchup.

EMEA doing everything they can to discredit Optic. I'm just returning the favor.

Fnatic still lost to G2. Stop trying to pretend G2 doesn't exist. Also every team except maybe NIP was good enough to win it. On average Optic played better teams than the rest of the previous winners.

Disagree with NRG. They have a lot of interesting comps and strategies. They just sucked.

I'm not taking away from them, but acting like optics run isn't impressive is disingenuous.

M3 was Envy's first LAN, and if EMEA was so much better, Acend wouldn't have choked vs. 100T. (Also 100T beat Gambit too)

In Champs, Envy ran into issues with covid.

In M1, EMEA's representatives failed to make it out of the first round.

Optic also had the highest level of competition of any masters, while sentinels had the least.

Optic also had to play significantly more games than any team in any masters.
Not saying I disagree with your list, but I don't think any of the previous champions would have won this past masters.

Yes

Only way guard isn't first seed is if 2 new teams make it in and do better than 8th

Assuming LCQ is the same as last year, the top 8 teams in points outside of those qualified for Champions will make it in.
Updated as Stage 2 Points are higher than Stage 1

Place. Team (Minimum Points after Stage 2, Current Points, Max points if out of Playoffs)

1. Optic Gaming (785, 750, x)
2. The Guard (215, 200, x)
   ------Champions Cutoff----
3. XSET (80, 45, x)
4. Luminosity (70, 35, x)
5. Cloud9 (65, 50, 70)
6. 100 Thieves (50, 15, x)
7. Evil Geniuses (45, 10, x)
8. Faze (45, 10, x)
9. Sentinels (45, 30, 50)
10. Ghost Gaming (35, 35, x)
    ----Last Chance Qualifier Cut-off----
11. Version1 (35, 35, 35)
12. NRG (30, 15, x)
13. Pittsburg Knights (30, 30, 30)
14. TSM (15, 0, 20)

Stage 1 and Stage 2 has different points awarded, I made the mistake of assuming they were the same.

Just realized they changed the points for stage 2. RIP lmao. Unfair to teams like V1 and sen, but ok

Sen is at 30. If they get 5th, they get 15, if they get 6th, they get 10. Sen can only score 40 or 45

Assuming LCQ is the same as last year, the top 8 teams in points outside of those qualified for Champions will make it in.
Updated as Stage 2 Points are higher than Stage 1

Place. Team (Minimum Points after Stage 2, Current Points, Max points if out of Playoffs)

1. Optic Gaming (785, 750, x)
2. The Guard (215, 200, x)
   ------Champions Cutoff----
3. XSET (80, 45, x)
4. Luminosity (70, 35, x)
5. Cloud9 (65, 50, 70)
6. 100 Thieves (50, 15, x)
7. Evil Geniuses (45, 10, x)
8. Faze (45, 10, x)
9. Sentinels (45, 30, 50)
10. Ghost Gaming (35, 35, x)
    ----Last Chance Qualifier Cut-off----
11. Version1 (35, 35, 35)
12. NRG (30, 15, x)
13. Pittsburg Knights (30, 30, 30)
14. TSM (15, 0, 20)

VLRgg
https://www.vlr.gg/vct/standings

I was wrong lol

If you put them in group A or give them a slightly more favorable schedule, then yeah, they're probably in playoffs.

What was the tiebreaker?

Sen will probably need to bootcamp into LCQ, but if they put 100% effort in then sure.

Kinda an overreaction imo. NA has been very competitive this year, and Optic didn't exactly make it to masters flawlessly last stage. And the Guard had one bad game in Masters, they should've beat Optic in the first one.

Link?

Not really much copium. All 3 very possible and only 1 needs to happen. The real copium is that they have a chance once LCQ happens.

Top 4 Ghost + Sen win over C9 is a tie, so yes.

The playoff teams have been decided. Cloud9 and Sentinels have been eliminated and will face each other in a meaningless game.

Wouldn't call it meaningless as the 5 points sentinels can gain for LCQ is huge.

If it's map, they need Optic to 2-0 LG, and Faze needs to 2-0 EG. This will force the third tiebreaker.

Three way tie between Optic/LG, EG, and Faze. Depending on 2nd tiebreaker, Faze could get 2nd-4th.

At least they have something to build on now.Way better now than they were earlier this year.

Not out, just need NRG to lose to Guard and Ghost to not finish top 4 in playoffs. 5th-6th would be a tie, and a first round exit would be V1 ahead.

Im still snuffing the copium that V1 sneaks into LCQ.

1st : Masters
2nd : Masters
3rd : 50 points
4th : 45 points
5th-6th : 35 points
7th-8th : 30 points (First round exit)
9th-10th : 15 points (5th in groups, failed to qual)
11th-12th : 10 points (6th in groups, failed to qual)

So they get points just like v1 did in stage 1, but V1 got 5th/6th in Stage 1, so ghost needs to get top 4 to guarantee LCQ

I'd call it a slightly spicy take.

V1 is at 35 since they advanced to second round after their win over Sen in Stage 1 playoffs. Ghost sits at 30 if they exit first round, and tie at 35 if they exit second.

Honestly not a hot take, they had to grind out a whole bunch of 2-1s in stage 1, and NA looks very even right now.

I'd say Sen has a very high chance of making LCQ. I think the Guard beats NRG.

Slightly off

Sen only needs NRG to miss playoffs. Then they barely squeak in. If ghost gets a first round exit, they also get in.

Take off the top 2 as they already qual for Champs, It's the 8 remaining

Technically V1 nor sentinels are out. V1 is incredibly slim as if NRG makes it to playoffs or Ghost gets more than the minimum 30 points for playoff qual, they are out.

https://www.vlr.gg/106067/na-circuit-points-for-lcq

Unless they changed the points given between stage 1 and stage 2, Sen still has ok chances

Sentinels not out assuming LCQ remains the same as last season (Top 8 teams not qualified)

Updated it.

Loud best team in Brazil, we all know this. The question is if MiBr can overtake NIP as #2.

For those not in the playoffs and are on the bubble, Version1 needs NRG to miss playoffs, and a first round exit by Ghost.
For Sentinels they have more breathing room, especially if they can pass C9 in standings for Group B, they need 2 of NRG, Faze, and Ghost to have a first round exit.
TSM and Pittsburg Knights are out.