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

Detroit Pistons Make Critical Isaiah Stewart Decision vs Knicks

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 5:35 PM ET

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.

Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart will not play tonight vs NYK, per the injury report.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 21, 2025

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.