On Tuesday, Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was upgraded to probable against the New York Knicks. The third-year player missed the last seven games due to a toe sprain.
According to the injury report, Bojan Bogdanovic (knee), Marvin Bagley III (migraine), and Jaden Ivey (knee) are listed as questionable for Tuesday night’s matchup. Of course, Cade Cunningham remains out indefinitely because of a shin injury.
Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Pistons have the fourth-lowest odds to win the championship in 2023. Even with Ivey and Cunningham healthy, some sportsbooks are not counting on Detroit to make the playoffs.
Hearing that Pistons starting big man Isaiah Stewart is likely to return tonight against the Knicks after missing the last 7.5 games with a toe sprain. Stewart was averaging 12 points and 9 rebounds pre injury and was shooting close to 50 percent from 3 over his last 32 attempts.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) November 29, 2022
Through 15 starts this season, Stewart is averaging a career-high 12 points per game, along with 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Plus, he’s shooting 47.5% from the field. The Pistons center has also recorded seven double-doubles this season.
On Oct. 30, in the Pistons’ 128-114 win over the Golden State Warriors, the center scored a season-high 24 points in 33 minutes of action. He finished 6-of-10 (60%) shooting from the floor and 2-of-5 (40%) from downtown.
Pistons center Isaiah Stewart has been upgraded to probable against the Knicks for Tuesday night’s game
While his block percentage is a career-low 2.4%, the Washington product is averaging career highs of 18.7% for total rebounding percentage, 7.1% for assist percentage, and a true shooting percentage of 60.6%.
Additionally, Stewart ranks 20th in the NBA in offensive rating (125.7), 13th in total rebound percentage, 17th in offensive rebound percentage (11.1%), 15th in defensive rebound percentage (27%), and 20th in total rebounds (617).
After suffering back-to-back losses, the Pistons could use Stewart back in the starting lineup. About a quarter into the 2022-23 season, Detroit ranks 26th in scoring, averaging 109.1 points per game.
Isaiah Stewart (toe) expected to return Tuesday https://t.co/WwI9AXsC62 via @Koslow_ari #Pistons
— FantasyPros (@FantasyProsNBA) November 29, 2022
Their offensive efficiency is dreadful without Cunningham and Ivey. Not to mention, the defense is not faring better. The team is surrendering 116.7 points per game, which ranks 25th overall.
As of right now, the Pistons are 5-17 and rank dead last in the Eastern Conference.
Since the Pistons have a number of injuries, the Knicks are five-point favorites at Little Caesars Arena. New York has won the last 10 matchups against Detroit. More importantly, the Pistons are 0-5 in their past five home games versus the Knicks.
