<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">After a slow start and scattershot play, a big "rookie" sign hung over Yakhouba Diawara's head. Through the first seven games of the season, Diawara averaged 1.1 points, shot 0-for-8 from 3-point range and had one steal. And his playing time reflected his stats - he was on the court just more than 10 minutes per game. Rookie nerves, it seemed, took hold and Diawara was playing like, well, the first-year player he is. But Diawara's fortune turned. In the past six games, the 6-foot-7, 225 pound forward-guard is averaging 8.3 points. Since a Nov. 18 game against Toronto, Diawara has hit 10 3-pointers, made eight steals and has doubled his court time, up to 21.5 minutes. "When you get more minutes, you get more comfortable," Diawara said. "You get more confident. So when I'm in, I just try to play hard, get rebounds, get points. Try to contribute and put a lot of energy in." Against Memphis on Tuesday - a 108-96 loss at the Pepsi Center - Diawara tied a career high with 13 points in 19 minutes, his third double-digit scoring output. "It's just a feeling," Diawara said of his improved play. "Just watching how the game is played. The guys told me, 'Just play your game.' That's what I'm trying to do now." Diawara, though, wasn't late to the party. His turnabout coincided with the Nuggets five-game winning streak. "The first time you're on an NBA stage, it's not easy to be successful," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "You can play all the exhibition games, all the summer leagues. The NBA is a little more intense, a little more physical. It's a little tougher than you think it is." </div> Source
