With playoffs on the horizon, the race for 3rd is heating up.

It’s been one long season for the SAN FRANCISCO OPTX, but it’s a season that no one on the team would like to end prematurely. The OPTX are currently in third place, but their position in the playoffs has not yet been solidified. With two games remaining in the season, the OPTX are hopeful that they will make the playoffs, but there’s still a long road ahead.

Only the top four teams in the North American region will qualify for the playoffs. The DALLAS VENOM and 3D.NY have clinched their playoff positions, while the LOS ANGELES COMPLEXITY will not be able to make the playoffs under any circumstances. That leaves a three-way battle royal for the third and fourth seed between the OPTX, CHICAGO CHIMERA and CAROLINA CORE.

In the event of a three-way tie, the point differential of each team will determine the tie breaker. If the point differential is identical, the direct head-to-head record will serve as the tie breaker. However, if two teams are tied, the head-to-head record is the primary tie-breaker, with point differential being secondary. The OPTX would win a tiebreaker with the CORE, but the final game of the season would determine the outcome of a tiebreaker with CHIMERA. Meanwhile, the CORE hold the tie-breaker victory over CHIMERA and while a three-way tiebreaker can’t be determined yet, the current standings have the OPTX and CORE coming out of a three-way tie.

The OPTX and CORE have played have played ten games, with two remaining, while the CHIMERA have played nine games, with three remaining. The current standings for each team are as follows:

Team Name	W	L	PF	PA	PD	PFA	PAA
3D.NY	9	1	244	221	23	24.4	22.1
Dallas Venom	7	3	236	193	43	23.6	19.3
San Francisco Optx	5	5	214	219	-5	21.4	21.9
Chicago Chimera	4	5	203	223	-20	22.6	24.8
Carolina Core	4	6	233	212	21	23.3	21.2
LA Complexity	0	9	157	219	-62	17.4	24.3

With the OPTX at 5-5 they have the best chance at making the cut. If we assume that the previous records are a good indication in predicting the outcome of the remaining matches the following would occur: OPTX would beat COMPLEXITY and lose to CHIMERA, CORE would beat COMPELXITY and lose to VENOM, and CHIMERA would lose to 3D and VENOM and beat OPTX. This would create a playoff picture that leaves the OPTX in third place, with the CORE and CHIMERA tied for fourth. Since the CORE have the head-to-head advantage over the CHIMERA, they would take the fourth seed.

When we start to look at other variables is when things get a little cloudy.

Scenario #1
If the OPTX win one more game, they virtually clinch a playoff spot. The only way the team would not make the playoffs with a 6-6 record is if there’s a three-way tie for third place. Under this outcome point differential would decide the top two teams and while the OPTX currently have the second best PD between the three teams, this could change before the end of the season.

Scenario #2
If the OPTX win both of their remaining games, they clinch a playoff spot, leaving the other two teams to battle it out for fourth place. CORE hold the tie-breaker if the two end the season with identical records, so they hold their own fate as the worst case scenario would have the two teams tied if the CORE win their remaining games.

Scenario #3
If the OPTX lose both of their remaining games, they would be in a very bad position to make the playoffs. The CORE would have to lose at least one game, or CHIMERA would have to lose two games and have a lower PD than OPTX in order for the OPTX to make the playoffs.

All things considered, the likely playoff picture has the OPTX and the CORE making the playoffs, with the CHIMERA falling to fifth place. The top two teams have almost clinched their seeds. The VENOM would have to lose their two remaining games by large margins in order to drop from the second seed, while 3D.NY has clinched the top seed in the playoffs.

The OPTX are 1-2 against the VENOM and 0-2 against 3D.NY. Based on the regular season records, it would be beneficial for the OPTX to finish in third and face what would almost certainly be the VENOM. However, the playoffs are a completely new season and anything can happen. As long as the OPTX make it, they’ll have a shot at the World Final no matter who they face.

If the OPTX lose in the first round of the playoffs, they will battle against the other losing team to determine the third seed in North America. The European and United Kingdom teams also play against each other to determine their top three seeds. The two teams seeded third battle in a special match to determine who takes the wild card spot in the World Final where they will face 3D.NY in the first round. So even if the OPTX lose, they still have a chance to make the World Final.