Starting from the open bracket

The pre-match data panel marked Nathan as the underdog by a wide margin. He did not try to out-brawl the Orc. Instead, Nathan sent his Archmage straight to the most important Creep Camp, used Militia Creep with exact timing, and kept just enough scouting to see whether the opponent was going to sneak into his base. The first Water Elemental was not there to show off. It was there to hold the camp doorway, secure the Hero Level, and make the second level arrive without bleeding resources. The cleanest part of that game was the way he handled details. On the first harassment, he did not force a fight. Footmen took the front. Priests were pre-positioned for healing. The Farm layout left room for a retreat path.