Detroit Pistons reserve Isaiah Stewart was sidelined for Monday’s Game 2 against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden because of inflammation in his right knee. He missed the final two games of the regular season because of the same issue.
The 23-year-old center played nearly 19 minutes in Saturday’s 123-112 Game 1 loss, contributing two points, five rebounds, one assist and two blocks. During the regular season, he averaged 6.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 blocks across 72 games.
Stewart is considered day-to-day, per Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Starting center Jalen Duren, who averaged 26.1 minutes in 78 regular-season games, took on a heavier workload in Stewart’s absence.
“Yeah, there’s opportunities,” Bickerstaff said. “Obviously, we’ll take a look at different lineups. I think JD has to step up for us. I mean, big time, especially with Stewart out and absorb a lot of those minutes, which he’s proven to be capable of. He’s done it for us all season long. So, I think it starts there with him.
“And I think he’s been dominant in the paint at both ends of the floor, protecting the paint, rebounding the basketball, putting pressure on the rim in the pick-and-roll game. So, I think he found his niche and what this team needs him to do, and he was able to do it on a consistent basis.”
The Pistons held a 98-92 lead when Stewart exited with 9:06 left in the fourth quarter Game 1. The Knicks then surged with a 21-0 run, seizing control of the game.
“The Knicks, give them credit, came out and played with a sense of urgency in that quarter,” Bickerstaff said. “And I do feel like it’s just one of those things that you have to learn how to do, right? You go through our progress through this season, we had to learn how to win regular-season games first, right? And I thought our guys did a great job of figuring that out. Now, this is different. Now, you have to figure out a way to win playoff games and win them in the fourth quarter when it matters most.”
Paul Reed, a 6-9 forward who’s appeared in 26 playoff games across four NBA seasons, is another solid frontcourt option for the Pistons until Stewart returns.
“They have versatility,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They have other guys that can step in and play that position. So, we know Paul Reed is a very active player. We know [Tobias] Harris can play there. Duren, obviously, he can get more minutes too. That’s sort of the nature of our league – the next guys get in there and I always say you can’t be here without being a great player and that’s one through 15.”
