Blast Pro Series Groups Analysis and Prediction
The draw for the Counter-Strike Blast Premier Spring Series have taken place, you can check these out here.
Group A - Run it back
FaZe, Liquid and NiP only just duked it out in the BLAST Global Finals, and they’ll be joined by a new look MiBR in Group A. Liquid are sure-fire favourites in this group, being one of the best teams in the world whose main issue is that they struggle in the later games, not group stages. FaZe’s only chance of beating a better team is usually through sheer firepower, but if you want to go bullet-for-bullet with Liquid, they’ll obliterate you.
FaZe can go fight-for-fight with NiP and MiBR, though. A rematch of the ‘coldzera derby’ is on the cards, and it’s a mouthwatering prospect. MiBR vs FaZe went the way of MiBR last time, and if they keep getting drawn together it could be one of the most interesting rivalries of the year. Two fallen giants, with the Brazilian’s finest player ever taking on their finest team. We’re excited already.
Speaking of fallen giants, NiP will be the fourth player in this game. As per usual, nobody has any idea what to expect. FaZe and MiBR are extremely beatable, but for NiP, everybody is beatable and able to beat them. That’s the NiP magic. They could murder everyone and take the group, or they could simply crash and burn. Nobody really knows.
Predicting a group with NiP and FaZe in it is like trying to give your muddy dog a bath. It’s pointless, futile, and eventually you’re going to just let the mess happen and try to enjoy it.
Group B - s1mple meets compLexity
Astralis meet NaVi, compLexity and Vitality in a stacked group B - and we’re not talking about BlameF’s arms. A rematch of s1mple vs ZywOo as well as seeing them take on the number one team in the world is too much for us to handle.
It’s the number one player of 2018, vs the potential number one player of 2019, vs the best team of 2019, vs a new-look compLexity with a point to prove. This is a real group of death.
While Astralis are the clear favourites, compLexity are the underdogs. Their new roster boasts some Danish influence of its own, with the aforementioned BlameF and also k0nfig, a mercurial super-talent with promises of reformation out there, ready to come back and re-shock the world. With the precision of poizon added to the two Americans, they are not to be underestimated.
NaVi are like a better NiP - you don’t know exactly what to expect, and any position from last to winning the group wouldn’t shock you. Against Vitality, who just destroyed them at EPICENTER, there’s a little sting in the tail of this group.
Astralis would be disappointed to not win this group, but they’ve been prone to occasional lapses, and this group is as hard as it can realistically get for them. If they can keep s1mple and ZywOo from taking them apart, it should be plain sailing - but that’s easier said than done.
Group C - Thieves, Geniuses and Original Gangsters
EG meet OG and G2 in Group C - winner gets to keep the G in their name. They’re joined by 100 Thieves, in one of the most interesting groups of the last year.
OG are completely new to the scene, with an encouraging if slow start to life at cs_summit. On paper, their team is easily good enough to finish top two, with the star power of valde and ISSAA backed up by a strong backbone, and the new kid on the block mantuu living up to the hype so far. But, this is a really tough test for a team that can’t have had too long to practice together. EG and 100T are seasoned teams who have proven to be too much for most of the scene.
EG are a genuine top five team, and should be favourites for this group. Though they have been inconsistent at times, they seem to have found a reasonable level and with Brehze and Ethan, it’s almost impossible for them to get blown out. 100T are scary, though, as with their full roster they’ve nearly always looked a serious threat. They could challenge EG for the top spot, but we’ve not seen them up against OG yet, who could be even better than them.
OG vs 100T and EG are the big hype games, but G2 can’t be slept on. Yes, they lost to mouz with a coach - but they’ve also shown an ability to upset the applecart. You can never count out kennyS, who can easily take over a game, especially against rookie AWPers like mantuu.
Once again, picking a top two is really hard, but you can’t go too far wrong with EG and 100T, who have been consistently good for a while.