Isaiah Stewart missed yesterday’s loss to the Raptors with a calf strain, and after the game, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff said there is “no timetable” for his return.
This is a decision the Pistons need to get right, as we know Isaiah Stewart is willing to play through injuries, but that might not be what is best for the long-term goals of the team.
The Pistons learned the hard way what life was like without Stewart in the playoffs, as they didn’t have him for most of their first-round loss to the Knicks last year, an absence that might have shifted the series in Detroit’s favor.
That can’t happen again, so the Pistons can’t risk injuries, even if it means a couple of their players might not get much-deserved awards.
Isaiah Stewart probably isn’t making All-Defense
Stewart can only miss one more game before he’s ineligible for the All-Defensive team, and by the sounds of it, he’s going to miss more than that.
The Pistons absolutely need Stew for the playoffs, as his ability to switch defensively will be crucial no matter who they play. As teams go small to try to find offense in the playoffs, centers who can switch 1-5 are invaluable.
Stewart is leading the league in opponent’s field goal percentage at the rim, and if he hadn’t gotten suspended, would potentially be headed to his first All-Defensive team selection, so he may end up regretting that swing on Miles Bridges (maybe not).
Stewart is not the only key player teetering on the brink of missing awards.
Ausar Thompson has to be healthy for the playoffs
Thompson can only miss two more games before he is ineligible for All-Defensive or even Defensive Player of the Year awards, which would be a shame, as he deserves serious consideration for both.
But the Pistons are playing with fire here, as Thompson unexpectedly returned to the lineup yesterday, though he was on a time restriction and played just 24 minutes.
If Thompson is ready to play, he needs to be in there, as the Pistons have struggled without him, but they can’t risk him re-injuring that ankle with only 15 games left in the season, so he’ll likely be restricted for much of it.
The Pistons need to be completely healthy going into the playoffs to have a chance, as their margin for error is razor thin defensively, and they can't afford to be missing either of their two best defenders.
The rest of this season will be a balancing act for JB Bickerstaff as he tries to hold onto the number one seed, get his team in a rhythm and keep everyone healthy for the playoffs.