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

NBA Analyst Confident Isaiah Stewart Would've Helped Pistons vs Knicks

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Tyler Delpercio | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 9:13 AM ET

After recording the most wins they've had in a season since 2015-16 (44) and securing the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Detroit Pistons season came to a close in the first round of the NBA playoffs with a loss to the New York Knicks in six games.

Despite the end result, the series was up for grabs throughout. Excluding the Knicks initial 11-point win in Game 1, the rest of the games were within six points of each other, with four of the games finishing within a possession.

Throughout the series, Detroit was missing their big man, Isaiah "Beef Stew" Stewart, who had left Game 1 in the fourth quarter with knee inflammation and never touched the floor again. Despite totalling just two points and five rebounds in his 19 minutes in Game 1, Stewart's impact would have been felt all series defensively, specifically in his matchup with Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Would it have made a difference, however? Sam Vecenie of The Athletic believes so.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic thought If Isaiah Stewart was 100% they would have defeated the New York Knicks In the first round.

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— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) June 19, 2025

In the Pistons' 115-106 win over the Knicks in early April, Stewart held Towns to just 2-7 shooting when guarding him compared to 8-12 against everyone else. KAT went off in Stewart's absence, too. Across the six games in the series, Towns averaged a double-double with 19.7 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the field, 48 percent from three, and 90 percent from the free-throw line.

When a series like that is so close on the margins, every little detail matters. Unfortunately for Detroit, it seems as if they were just one injury away from potentially upsetting Towns and the Knicks.