IEM Beijing’s group A is almost all wrapped up. We’re waiting for four additional lower bracket matches and that’s it. Once group A is settled, the focus will fall down to group B which also features several top-tier contestants. At the moment, Faze Clan and Complexity are the only teams that have qualified for the playoffs, but we’ll know more in the days to come. As for our G2 vs. NiP predictions, we’ll do things the usual way and start off with general info on both teams before moving onto detailed stuff!
If you’re interested in betting sites for CSGO, then you’ll be interested in what this piece is all about too!
G2 vs. NiP Predictions
Before we kick things off, I’d like to point out that we’re looking at two top-notch sides here. G2 is, obviously, in far better form and have a slightly superior roster, but Ninjas in Pyjamas will be no pushover. The Swedes will come into this match with 120% of their might, and that’s bound to further complicate our G2 vs. NiP predictions.
Recent Campaigns
Before NiKo’s arrival, G2 was in a pretty rough patch. Disappointing Performances on three consecutive events (DH Open Fall, IEM XV New York, and ESL Pro League S12) raised alarms for the Frenchmen. But, it seems as though their campaigns are already starting a new page. The recently finished BLAST Premier Fall regular season saw G2 rise above the likes of FURIA, MIBR, and Astralis. The NiKo effect is evident – G2 has become the team to beat right now!
Playing against @G2NiKo like pic.twitter.com/ZOkYLXeptI
— G2 Esports (@G2esports) November 5, 2020
When looking at the last three(ish) months, NiP actually has a slightly better track record than G2. However, the quality of their opposition is questionable, just like their most recent form. Remember, G2 aced BLAST Premier Fall group stage whereas NiP went down without a proper fight.
The difference between these two, if looking at short-term results/matches, is outright massive. There’s no point denying that, especially with NiKo on board the French side. The question is, can G2 transition their form to this competition. If they can, not only should they sweep the floor with NiP, but they should also be among the main contenders for winning the title.
Map Pool Stats
Map pool stats are rather even. Don’t get me wrong, G2’s superior form pushes them in front here, but it’s a matter of nuances, really. The French side should be comfortable on Dust 2, Nuke, Mirage, and Vertigo. NiP should take Inferno, Train, and Overpass. However, Overpass and Train ought to be banned; Overpass right away and Train in the second round, which means NiP will have to force Inferno. Perhaps they’ll go with Mirage too – they have a 50% win rate in the last ten matches which isn’t half bad.
Individuals Stats
This section of our G2 vs. NiP predictions is all about NiKo! Come on, guys, it was always going to be about NiKo. After all, we’re talking about the biggest transfer in the history of the game. If that doesn’t raise red flags, then I don’t know what does…
So, let’s address the elephant in the room – has NiKo done enough in his debut campaign to justify the signing?
Even though it’s still early to draw concrete conclusions, I’d say his debut campaign was a massive success. I mean, they did lose against Astralis in the upper bracket finals, but they got their revenge in the group C grand finals. And it was in the second match against Astralis that NiKo showed us exactly what he’s capable of. 57 kills in two maps… against Astralis of all teams. Yeah, I think it’s pretty clear which team gets the advantage in terms of individual superiority.
Match-winners are popular these days. They’re simple, straightforward, and tend to have solid value because of online gameplay. That said, G2 match-winner at -250 is going to do just fine for most people.
If this is not enough for you, if you’d like a bit riskier approach, correct score 2:1 in favor of G2 is at +240. It took a lot of time to decide whether to go for 2:0 or 2:1, more than I’d like to admit, but NiP’ potential made me think the decider map is inevitable.
