Bubzkji's Groups Takeaways: NiKo's Struggle in transition to CS2?
As the curtains fall on another thrilling BLAST Premier Spring Groups, we sat down with our new Premier analyst Bubzkji who shares his 3 key takeaways from Spring Groups.
Bubzkji talks about the underrated prowess of the trio Jame, FL1T, and fame. Despite past challenges, they've emerged as a formidable force signaling a resurgence for Virtus.pro.
Photo: Stephanie LindgrenHe also notes a notable shift for G2 star NiKo. Transitioning from CS:GO to CS2 hasn't, according to bubzkji, been seamless for him. Yet, Bubzkji remains optimistic about NiKo's potential to reclaim his top-tier status in this new era of Counter-Strike.
Here are bubzkji's 3 takeaways
#1 Jame, FL1T and fame is an extremely underrated trio.
"Not many times when you say these names people think of a top 5 trio in the world. They’re proven time and time again they’re a team difficult to deal with. Currently also the best Overpass team in the world if you ask me. They’ve had difficult times after the major, but I do feel Virtus pro is back to a high level. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them being in the Top 5 consistently for the majority of 2024."
#2 CS2 NiKo isn't the same as CS:GO NiKo for now
"NiKo hasn't been able to replicate his high level in the majority of last year going into CS2. He’s by no means a bad player, still a top rifler with many good moments. But currently rocking a 1.10 Rating in CS2, is significantly below what we’re used to seeing from one of the best players out there. I do personally think it’s a temporary “issue”. And we’ll see him rise to the top of the charts again."
Photo: Stephanie Lindgren#3 Na’Vi is back to being a playoff runner
"I was pleasantly surprised to see all the positives coming out from Na’Vi. Wonderful and iM is looking like a duo to be reckoned with. We’ve seen many of these “one event” wonder players like BOROS, Cypher and iM in 2023 have a bit of a tough time. But for now it looks like iM has been able to find his groove again."
As we reflect on BLAST Premier Spring Groups, the anticipation builds for Spring Finals starting June 12 at the iconic London Wembley Arena.
Teams will battle for not just glory, but also a slice of the $425,000 prize pool.