NBA week 12: Five things we learnt

London game was perfect for the NBA

This year’s NBA Global Games in London certainly lived up to its billing with a thrilling game being decided in overtime after the Toronto Raptors eventually defeated the Orlando Magic despite an impressive second half comeback. After a few rather one-sided affairs in recent years, this game showed the full talents the league has to offer and the increasing globalisation of the league, with a number of celebrities and fans from around the world flocking to see this one-off game. In fact, there is reason to suggest that the league’s commissioner, Adam Silver, should consider going back to having two games played in London as was the case when the regular season first came to these isles in 2011.

As a country we are fortunate that the world’s best basketball league continues to return each year despite just one British player – Luol Deng of the Miami Heat – currently playing in the league. Although it can be very tricky with so many games to schedule in a relatively short space of time, the league may be missing a trick in not taking the game to more arenas around the world, although that is something they continue to explore.

But for now it was nice to enjoy seeing two play-off chasing sides battle it out in a fascinating game that doesn't always get the coverage it deserves in this country.

Giannis and the Bucks beginning to mature

Jason Kidd and the Milwaukee Bucks were one of the surprise packages of last season, improving from a league-worst record in the 2013-14 season to finishing sixth in the East and eventually bowing out in the play-offs to Chicago to six games. This year, however, they have taken a step back again as they sit 13th in a vastly improved Eastern Conference. They are currently five games back from the eighth spot and time is running out if they want to make up the ground and continue their season beyond the regular season.

But things have begun to improve of late, with the Bucks winning six of their last 10, including victories against the top-four seeded Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls. An important factor in their improved form has been Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ‘The Greek Freak’ posting 22.5 points per game on 57 per cent shooting this past week. His offence still needs a lot of work, but at 21-years-old he can become a vital player for the franchise and in combination with Jabari Parker they can form an elite frontcourt. Antetokounmpo’s rebounding has also been huge this week as he’s picked up a double-double in all four of the Bucks games to go with 3.5 assists and two blocks per game. Consistency is always going to be the key for this young side, but do not rule out a late play-off push if they can get the likes of Giannis and Parker firing.

Teams no longer fear Golden State

After starting the season with an NBA record 24 consecutive wins, the Golden State Warriors have lost four times in a month and two of their last four. Defeats are always going to happen in such a long NBA season and they were missing key players in losses at Dallas and Denver. But after so much talk about whether the Warriors could beat the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record of going 72-10 through the season, it is now about whether they can hold off the challenge of the San Antonio Spurs for top spot in the West.

Monday night's impressive win over the Cleveland Cavaliers will have sent a message around the league that they are still the team to beat but in the previous game against the Detroit Pistons they suffered an 18-point defeat, despite Stephen Curry doing what he does and having 38 points on the night. The fear factor has gone from the reigning Champions and everyone now believes that they can defeat the Warriors on their home court. Beat Chicago's record now seems almost impossible, even though they sit 37-4 exactly halfway through the season.

They also have a lot of tough games against their biggest rivals with four games to come against the Spurs, three against the Oklahoma City Thunder and two more against the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers.. The record may no longer in Golden State’s thoughts, their one and only priority is to ensure they remain top of the Western Conference.

Minnesota must use Phoenix win to ignite season

After losing nine straight and boasting a conference-worst 5-17 home record, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally got the win they desperately needed against the Phoenix Suns. It turned out to be as comfortable as victories come in the NBA, with the absence of Eric Bledsoe to a season-ending injury continuing to make the Suns about as useful as last year’s Timberwolves side that lost 66 of their 82 games. The nine-game losing streak for this season’s Timberwolves showed just how far they’ve gone backwards after starting the season with four consecutive road wins and an 8-8 record. Scheduling can hardly be blamed either as they suffered defeats against Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Denver in games they really should have won.

Although they still have a core nucleus of younger players, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Martin, Tayshaun Prince and Andre Miller are all respected veterans, with play-off and championship experience. With the last two No 1 draft picks on their roster, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, they must be careful they don’t fall into the Philadelphia trap of continually finishing in the lower reaches of the NBA to ensure they get a top three lottery pick. The Wolves have an exciting young core but is time that this side begin to show progression.

New Orleans can mount a serious play-off push

This season has been tough on the Pelicans with a series of injuries to key players meaning they lost a lot of the momentum gained from the back end of last season when they returned to the play-offs after a three-year absence. Losing nine of their first 10 games and with injuries still mounting, they could have been forgiven for thinking that they could finish in the lower reaches of the Western Conference to get a top draft pick. But fast forward two months and following crucial wins against Sacramento and Charlotte, they have closed the gap with eighth seeded Utah to just five games.

Their schedule is also very favourable over the next couple of weeks, with seven consecutive home games after last night's close loss in Memphis. Those games include four decisive matchups against sides under .500 and winnable games against Detroit and divisional rivals, Houston and Memphis.

Utah currently hold the final Western play-off spot with a rather ordinary 18-22 record and there is a real chance that New Orleans can really gain some ground with Anthony Davis fully fit again after missing their last two losses at Staples Centre.