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DeMar DeRozan annoyed by Toronto Raptors home losses

Here’s the Toronto Sun reporting on DeMar DeRozan, who wants his Raptors to step up in all sorts of ways:

DeMar DeRozan wants Toronto Raptors to step up

“I’m frustrated, period,” said DeRozan, who also picked up seven rebounds and four assists. “Just losing at home, man. I mean, I hate it. I hate it with a passion and we just have to figure it out and turn it around on the road.”

Easier said than done. After three straight losses at home, the Raptors now embark on a three-game western swing, against Golden State, Phoenix and the L.A. Lakers, starting on Tuesday in Oakland. Playing in the west hasn’t been kind to the Raptors in seasons past.

“It don’t matter where we’re playing man, if we’re home or away. We have to understand that we have to go out there and play hard (all the time),” added DeRozan, who was singularly unimpressed that his team squandered a 15-point first quarter lead. “It doesn’t matter what stage we’re playing on. We’ve just got to go out there and win. We just have to do what our assignments are every night.”

DeRozan, who may make the NBA all-star team this season for the first time in his career, also was unimpressed with his club’s defence and its inability to adjust late in the game.

Steve Nash set to return for Lakers

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles on old, banged-up Steve Nash and his expected return to action for the Lakers:

Sunday marked the 10th straight game that Steve Nash missed because of nerve root irritation in his back and hamstrings, but Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said he expected to have him back when the team returns to practice Tuesday after an off day.

Nash spent last week in Vancouver, British Columbia, working out with his longtime personal trainer, Rick Celebrini, while the Lakers were on a three-game trip through Washington, Brooklyn and Detroit.

“I think he made some improvements, but we’ll see,” D’Antoni said of Nash.

Nash, 39, is averaging 6.7 points and 4.8 assists this season while shooting 26.1 percent from the field.

Lionel Hollins wants another NBA head coaching job

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles on former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, who wants to run a team again.

As sabbaticals go, the one Lionel Hollins has been on the last few months has been pretty nice, but the former Memphis Grizzlies coach said in an extended interview with ESPN.com that he is ready to get back to work.

Since not being retained by the Grizzlies’ new ownership group, Hollins has been playing golf, attending charity events, doing a little broadcasting for NBA TV and watching his son Austin Hollins a senior guard for Minnesota, play college basketball. This week, he was in Hawaii to watch the Gophers in the Maui Invitational.

Nice as the time off has been, however, Hollins is ready to return to the NBA.

“I believe I’ve established myself as a head coach and I’d like another opportunity to show that [my success] wasn’t a fluke,” Hollins said. “I feel like I’ve proven I can take a young team and develop it, then sustain what I’ve done by what I did in the last five years in Memphis.”

Hollins was let go by the Grizzlies despite winning a franchise-record 56 games and leading Memphis to its first Western Conference Finals appearance last season.

Pistons center Andre Drummond drops monster game on Sixers

Here’s the Detroit News reporting on Pistons center Andre Drummond, who just unleashed another flash of potential greatness. The young center has a bright future ahead of him:

If Andre Drummond keeps progressing at the rate he’s going, then Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown—a first-year coach at his wit’s end — won’t be the only one to employ the “Hack-a-Dre” strategy…and Drummond will have to make them pay for it.

What Drummond poignantly called a “slap in the face” turns to 10 seconds of torture and uncertainty for Pistons fans and teammates, the time Drummond has to step to the free-throw line and conquer what appears to be his greatest weakness.

Assistant coach Rasheed Wallace yells “take your time” and his teammates say “10 seconds” but Drummond is on that line, all alone, with the world watching.

He shook off the insult to put together his best game as a pro, helping the Pistons to a 115-100 win over the 76ers at the Palace Sunday, with 31 points, 19 rebounds, six steals and two blocks. Thaddeus Young scored 24 and Evan Turner 20 for the 76ers (6-12), who entered Sunday a half-game behind the Pistons.

Anthony Davis injured, suffers fracture in hand

Here’s the New Orleans Times-Picayune on Hornets star Anthony Davis, who suffered an injury Sunday. Davis is second on the team in scoring, and first (in a really big way) in both rebounding and shot-blocking:

$Anthony Davis injured, suffers fracture in left hand$

New Orleans Pelicans second-year power forward Anthony Davis was having a splendid start to his 2013-2014 season. But the momentum he opened the season with was slowed during the first quarter of the Pelicans’ 103-99 victory against the New York Knicks on Sunday night.

Davis suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left, non-shooting, hand in the first quarter of the Pelicans game against the New York Knicks and wasn’t able to return. The team didn’t provide a timetable for his return.

Davis said he injured his hand when he slammed it on the rim during an alley-oop attempt.

“I am hoping it is a short-term thing, so I can get back on the floor,” Davis said. “I felt pain. I didn’t think it was going to keep me out. I am happy that my team battled for the whole 48 (minutes) and got that W.”

Clippers guard J.J. Redick injured, out 6-8 weeks

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that guard J.J. Redick suffered a fracture in the small bone (pisiform) of his right hand and a tear of his right ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the second quarter of the Clippers 104-98 win over Sacramento on Nov. 29.

Redick is expected to miss approximately 6-8 weeks, and will be re-evaluated on Monday, Dec. 2 by hand specialist Dr. Steve Shin to determine further course of treatment.

J.R. Smith struggling badly with shot so far this season

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on Knicks guard J.R. Smith. The team played Friday, losing a close battle in Denver to the Nuggets:

Smith scored 11 points but shot just 1-for-7 from 3-point range as he struggles to rediscover his stroke following summertime knee surgery and a five-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy.

Smith, last season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year, is shooting a career-low 32.8 percent from the floor, and even worse from beyond the arc (28.6 percent). The Knicks are 1-9 since he returned from suspension entering Sunday’s game against New Orleans at the Garden.

“My jumper just hasn’t been there,” Smith said. “That’s situations where I got to make my teammates better, get guys open shots and keep driving to the hole. But one thing, I’m not going to stop shooting.”

Asked if his surgically repaired left knee has affected his shooting stroke and his overall play, Smith admitted: “Somewhat, but it’s all right, I’m still playing…It’s taking time. I’m not one to make excuses, but I got to play better. If it’s hurting that bad, then I shouldn’t be playing. I’m out there and I’m going to try to give it all I got.”

Coach Cheeks says Brandon Jennings is still developing as a point guard

Here’s the Detroit Free Press on guard Brandon Jennings:

Brandon Jennings still developing as a point guard

It’s too early, said the former point guard — too early to decide whether Brandon Jennings will eventually figure out how to play the most demanding of NBA positions.

“It takes a certain amount of time for a guy to do that,” said Jennings’ coach, Mo Cheeks. “He’s still young, still figuring out the position.”

The Pistons point guard is 24, which, by today’s NBA standards, isn’t terribly young. What Cheeks is talking about, however, is that Jennings hasn’t been asked to play point guard before in any traditional manner. Cheeks was raised that way. Jennings was not.

Cheeks knew where everyone on the floor was supposed to be — or supposed to be going. When they weren’t, he told them. Jennings is trying to learn that now, after a life of seeking out space to shoot.

Jeremy Lamb stepping up for OKC Thunder

With star sixth men of the past gone from the Oklahoma City Thunder, there’s been opportunity for supporting cast players to step up. And Jeremy Lamb has been doing just that. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

On this current five-game run, Lamb is averaging 10.8 points in 22.4 minutes. But more importantly, he has done it efficiently, shooting nearly 55 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point territory.

“He’s getting better,” Kevin Durant said of Lamb. “Experience is the best teacher. He’s going to take his bumps and bruises, but he’s a smart, smart player.”

And a pretty good defensive one, too, if given the right matchup.

He uses his rare athleticism (38-inch vertical) and length (6-foot-11 wingspan) to bother shooters and harass scorers.

Chicago Bulls need big things from Kirk Hinrich this season

With Derrick Rose out for the season and Jimmy Butler still banged up, the Chicago Bulls need very solid production from Kirk Hinrich. Here’s the Chicago Tribune reporting:

Hinrich sat out 22 times last season with injuries to his right hip, left knee, right elbow and right foot. Entering Saturday, his fifth start, he was averaging 29.1 minutes per game.

“It’s just being ready from the jump,” Hinrich said. “But other than that, I approach my job the same.”

Asked if Hinrich can handle an increased role, coach Tom Thibodeau was non-committal.

“We’ll see what he can handle,” Thibodeau said. “He looks good right now. He has to continue to work.”

Thibodeau left no doubt on how he feels Hinrich has played thus far this season.