NAVI have a historically strong record on Ancient, and the loss on Inferno offered 3DMAX a chance to learn and sharpen their approach for Misutaaa’s integration.

NAVI edged 3DMAX 2-1 to reach the ESL Pro League Season 23 playoffs, taking Dust2 13-5 to start, dropping Inferno, and closing out Ancient 13-5 for the series win.

3DMAX fielded misutaaa, Lucky, Maka, Ex3rcice, and Graviti, who delivered varied stats but couldn’t stop NAVI from advancing.

3DMAX had previously added Misutaaa and showed improvements, but their defense remained a vulnerability NAVI exploited on the decisive map.

Inferno saw 3DMAX speed and map control early, as NAVI struggled on their T side, leveling the series at 1-1 after a 13-5 win for 3DMAX.

Key NAVI players highlighted were makazze, Aleksib, w0nderful, iM, and b1t, with misutaaa noted for a strong overall performance as the new addition.

The article emphasizes NAVI’s solid early-season form in EPL S23 and misutaaa’s positive impression, signaling potential for a deep playoff run.

Match MVP was makazze for NAVI, delivering standout numbers with 92.7 ADR and a 1.29 series rating.

ESL Pro League S23 Stage 2 runs March 6–10, with 16 teams competing for playoff spots and a share of the $185,000 prize pool.

3DMAX finished 9–11th at the tournament and earned $11,500, while NAVI advanced to the playoffs where the field competes for a larger prize pool.

Ancient turned into a one-sided NAVI victory, with a strong defensive showing propelling them to a 13-5 win and sealing their playoff berth.

Misutaaa posted the team’s best ratings in both Stage 1 (1.23) and Stage 2 (1.13) during his debut, underscoring his impact.