NiP were the defending champions from the previous major in August, but had not made the top four in any tournament since then, or qualified for any online league’s finals. Following their roster change that in early November saw Fifflaren retire and Maikelele join on a trial basis, it was unclear what shape NiP would show up in.
The best team in CS: GO history delivered once again, making their fourth consecutive major grand final. Along the way they lost to LDLC in the groups, defeated HellRaisers easily in the buy csgo skins quarter-finals, and survived a thriller of a series, including a double overtime game on de_nuke, against their long-time rivals Virtus. pro.
Despite falling just short in the grand final, it’s safe to say NiP has returned to the very top of professional Counter-Strike. They have found a way to fit Maikelele in their system—or adjust the system around him—and will only get better as the team has more time to gel. You can expect an official announcement of Maikelele becoming a permanent fixture in NiP any day now.