Astralis, NiP likely advance to head2head at BLAST Spring Showdown

The BLAST Premier Spring Showdown is here with a few quarter-final matches over in Europe. We’re here to break down a couple of these matches and present you with some reliable betting picks for your consideration.

Astralis and NiP are looking favored today. Let’s break down how and why.

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Astralis vs Movistar Riders

We start with an interesting match between former world No. 1 Astralis and Movistar Riders, a team whose stock is rising rapidly. There is just one ranking spot now between these two teams, with Astralis at No. 10 and Movistar Riders at No. 12.

Astralis have been in middling form over the last few months, but they will certainly be pleased with their performance last week that helped them qualify for next month’s Major. They have lost two of their last three matches, including defeats in the third map to G2 and Players.

In terms of personnel, they will have to rely on a relatively new roster but they seem to have found their footing. In fact, BlameF has managed to average 0.73 kills with 0.63 deaths per round in the last three months of CS:GO action at an average damage per round of 84.3. He spoke at length about the chemistry of the new set-up at Astralis, and here are a few excerpts of his thoughts.

“I don’t want to talk too much about differences or speak badly about anyone else, but I think trace is a good leader for us,” BlameF said. “He’s making sure that the guys are staying focused on the task and that they are doing what they are supposed to, not only when playing, but also in terms of training, eating, and all that stuff. He’s really good at handling all that part outside the game, he’s a good leader and what the team needs.

Movistar Riders are no pushovers either. They have made impressive progress to move rapidly up to No. 12 in the world on the back of some solid recent form, which includes wins against BIG and Liquid, two former world No. 1 teams. Now, they face another team that has been at the helm of the CS:GO rankings.

Even though Movistar Riders are a team that have been at the top of their game in recent action, the choice here would be on Astralis. They seem to have found their feet as a group and now even have Farlig’s impressive long-range proficiency to count on. And as a result, if you’re looking for a pick, Astralis is your best choice.

An outright selection for Astralis will net you x1.4 returns over at GG.BET.

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Bad News Eagles

The next match to consider is Ninjas in Pyjamas against Bad News Eagles. There are several narratives around this game but none are bigger than the rise of Bad News Eagles as they made history to become the first Kosovar team to qualify to a CS:GO Major.

“It’s a dream that we’ve been following for many years and the way we went through to the Major makes it an even more beautiful a story,” Juanflatroo told HLTV. “Even back in Kosovo, the newspapers, the televisions, they’re talking about us, so you can tell how important that is for us. We’re a new country and we’re the ones that should make it more visible in the eyes of the international community and the whole world because we have a lot of potential. We need a lot more experience and showing ourselves, so it’s something really big for us. It’s a huge milestone for us to reach the Major and we’re really happy about it.”

In terms of a prediction, it is hard to see past NiP in this one. They have made significant progress and have now moved up to No. 7 in the world, led by Rez’s impressive recent form. The addition of Brollan has also had a positive influence on the outcome considering he is versatile with most weapons, including the rifle or the AWP if required.

Bad News Eagles, currently ranked No. 25 in the world, have some work to do before they are competitive at this level of the professional scene. Overall, there is a sense that NiP should be too strong just as they were in their previous meeting. NiP beat Bad News Eagles 16-11 in Ancient in a best of one.

Today, we are likely looking at a 2-0 for NiP, putting you up x1.76 over.