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Detroit Pistons Make Critical Isaiah Stewart Decision vs Knicks

The Detroit Pistons made a decision on Isaiah Stewart's status for Game 2.
Justin Grasso|
Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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On Monday night, the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks will battle it out for Game 2. Unfortunately for the sixth-seeded Pistons, they’ll be shorthanded.

According to the injury report, the Pistons have ruled out Stewart for Monday’s action. The veteran center has been dealing with a knee concern. He is ruled out with inflammation.

On Sunday, it was revealed that Stewart underwent an MRI following Game 1. While he doesn’t seem to be dealing with anything that will keep him off the court long-term, he’s on a day-to-day basis with Detroit.

The setback isn’t a new concern for Stewart. After the Pistons played the Knicks on April 10, Stewart missed the final two games of the regular season. At the time, the Pistons were holding him out to remain cautious, keeping him as fresh as possible for the playoff run.

Unfortunately, Stewart’s setback continues to bother him. It was evident he was dealing with the setback throughout the first half of Saturday’s Game 1 action. Stewart was having a strong defensive performance, but head coach JB Bickerstaff held Stewart out for most of the fourth quarter. After the game, Bickerstaff explained his decision.

“I mean, it’s tough. He means so much to us,” Bickerstaff told reporters after the game. “There’s so many things that he can do, you know? At some point, my choice was to protect him, and I just thought that was the right decision to make.”

The Pistons don’t have a timeline in place for Stewart’s return. They’ll likely keep the door open for a potential Game 3 return when the series goes to Detroit for the first time. For the time being, the Pistons are going to stay focused on Monday’s Game 2 action.

The Pistons and the Knicks are set for a 7:30 PM ET tip.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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