By NOEY KUPCHAN
Kawhi Leonard is starting to find his rhythm for the surging San Antonio Spurs.
That doesn't bode well for the rest of the league.
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are both expected back Wednesday night as the visiting Spurs go a ninth consecutive victory and 22nd in 24 meetings against the Brooklyn Nets.
Leonard entered the season with huge expectations after being named NBA Finals MVP, but he averaged just 12.9 points on 43.3 percent shooting over his first 11 games due in part to a troublesome eye issue. However, the fourth-year forward has since stepped it up with 19.8 points per game on 54.4 percent in his last five.
"We're trying to loosen up a bit and give him more of a green light," coach Gregg Popovich said.
Leonard matched a season high with 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double in Monday's 109-103 victory at winless Philadelphia. He shot 9 of 15 with Duncan (rest) and Parker (ribs) on the sidelines.
"He has the potential to do that often," veteran Manu Ginobili said of Leonard, one of five players averaging double figures for San Antonio. "Maybe on a different team he'd be putting up higher numbers. We play in a system and we take what the game gives us."
The Spurs (13-4) have outscored opponents by an average of 13.8 points during their winning streak, which includes a 99-87 home victory over Brooklyn on Nov. 22. Parker, Leonard and Danny Green combined for 64 points as San Antonio improved to 21-2 in the series since 2003.
"It is a team you envy," said Nets guard Deron Williams, who had 24 points. "They have a system, the same coach and pretty much the same group of guys for a long time, and you can tell that they are comfortable playing with each other. ... They play the right way. They play for each other."
The Nets (7-9) return home looking to build on Tuesday's 98-93 win at New York. Brook Lopez posted 19 of his 23 points in the first half and Joe Johnson scored 19 of his 22 after the break.
Brooklyn outscored the Knicks 48-26 in the paint and held a 49-40 rebounding edge. Kevin Garnett had 13 boards, including six of the team's season-high 21 on the offensive glass.
The Nets came in ranked 23rd in the league with 41.3 rebounds per game.
"Coach (Lionel Hollins) has been stressing rebounding," Garnett said. "It's been one of the things that obviously we've been working on, been making an emphasis for the bigs to rebound better."
Lopez had averaged just 12.0 points over the previous three games, including a six-point display against the Spurs. He's been held to 11.8 points per game on 41.0 percent shooting in his last five meetings in the series.
The Spurs had taken nine of 10 road matchups before falling 103-89 on Feb. 6. However, they were without Duncan, Parker, Leonard, Ginobili and Boris Diaw that night.
Parker is averaging 22.3 points on 57.6 percent shooting in his last four games against the Nets. However, he's averaging just 14.8 points on 46.4 percent shooting on the road, down from his home marks of 20.4 and 56.0.
San Antonio has allowed an average of 92.8 points during a 16-game winning streak against Eastern Conference foes dating to last season. Brooklyn has dropped five of its last six against the West.