Isaiah Stewart Issues Pistons a Reminder vs Grizzlies

The Detroit Pistons had to shake up their lineup on Monday night.

As a result of Tobias Harris’ setback, which led to an absence, the Pistons rolled out a starting five that included the veteran center, Isaiah Stewart.

While starting isn’t a new concept for Stewart, it was rare to see him get the nod under JB Bickerstaff last season unless Jalen Duren was out. This time around, the head coach inserted Stewart in the starting five for nearly 35 minutes, and the decision paid off.

Isaiah Stewart Posts a Career-High

While his defense is what stood out the most throughout the 2024-2025 run, Stewart had the chance to remind the NBA that he could be a productive power forward on the side of the ball.

via @Pistons_PR: Isaiah Stewart scored a career-high 26 points tonight against Memphis with 14 rebounds and four blocks, becoming the 6th player in franchise history with such minimums in a game (Duren, Drummond, Laimbeer, Tyler, Lanier). Stewart is T-2nd in the NBA with 16 blocks this season.

Isaiah Stewart scored a career-high 26 points tonight against Memphis with 14 rebounds and four blocks, becoming the 6th player in franchise history with such minimums in a game (Duren, Drummond, Laimbeer, Tyler, Lanier).

Stewart is T-2nd in the NBA with 16 blocks this season. pic.twitter.com/c8biqNSVtM
— Pistons PR (@Pistons_PR) November 4, 2025

Before Duren’s arrival, Stewart was a full-time starter for the Pistons beginning in his second season. As the team’s starting center in 2021-2022, Stewart averaged 8.3 points per game, making 51 percent of his shots from the field.

In year three, Stewart appeared in 50 games for the Pistons, producing 11.3 points on 44 percent shooting. That year, he opened his range and averaged 4.1 three-point attempts per game. He knocked down 32 percent of his threes.

When Duren started at center during the 2023-2024 season under Monty Williams, Stewart made the full-time shift to power forward. Throughout the year, Stewart attempted 3.8 shots from beyond the arc per game, knocking down threes at a 38 percent clip. He averaged 10.9 points, along with 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Nov 3, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) reacts with guard Caris LeVert (8) during a timeout during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Although Stewart peeled back on utilizing his range last season, putting up just 53 three-pointers, after exceeding 175 in each of the previous two seasons, the Pistons highly valued what he brought to the table on defense. Monday’s performance over the Grizzlies was just another reminder that Stewart can play multiple roles if called on.

The 114-106 win over the Grizzlies helped the Pistons advance to 5-2 on the year. The Pistons sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and the Philadelphia 76ers. They’ll take the court once again on Wednesday night, when they host the Utah Jazz.