Isaiah Stewart’s Official Playing Status for Pistons-Nuggets

Will Isaiah Stewart take on the Denver Nuggets on Saturday?

Jan 25, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Monte Morris (11) Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) and center DeMarcus Cousins (4) goes for the rebound in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Heading into their Saturday night matchup against the Denver Nuggets, the Detroit Pistons hoped to get the veteran center Isaiah Stewart back in the mix.

Lately, Stewart has been dealing with a knee injury. After missing a few games, the veteran center was upgraded on the injury report to probable for Saturday’s action.

Fortunately for the Pistons, Stewart is set to make his return to the lineup. He is available on Saturday.

Isaiah Stewart (knee) available to play Saturday.

— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) December 29, 2024

Stewart’s injury concerns started back on December 16. As the Pistons took on the Miami Heat, Stewart’s night off the bench ended prematurely. After seven minutes, he experienced pain in his knee after a hyperextension and went back to the locker room.

The Pistons did not clear Stewart to return to action. In the following game against the Utah Jazz, Stewart was inactive. The Pistons considered the veteran big man to be on a day-to-day basis, but his absence spanned beyond a week’s worth of time.

At this point, Stewart has missed four games in a row. Fortunately for Detroit, they found success with Paul Reed backing up Jalen Duren. They’ve gone 3-1 in Stewart’s absence.

This season, Stewart has 27 appearances under his belt, with just three starts. He produced six points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block per game.

It will be interesting to see how the Pistons handle the return of Stewart, considering the moderate success Reed has as a backup. Regardless of whether Reed keeps some minutes or not, Stewart is certain to have a role when he’s back in action.