The Detroit Pistons experimented with Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren in the starting lineup during the disastrous Monty Williams season, and everyone agreed it didn’t work. But we may have been premature with that assessment.
The Pistons were forced to start Stewart against the Grizzlies after an ankle injury to Tobias Harris and Beef Stew delivered with 26 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.
His defense at the rim set the tone for the night, and the Pistons dominated the points in the paint, something they have done all season.
Harris will again be out tonight against the Jazz, so the Pistons are likely to turn to this lineup, which will be a tough task, as Stewart will have to chase Lauri Markkanen around the perimeter.
Depending on how long Harris is out, the Pistons could get an extended look at this starting five, which has its pros and cons.
Detroit Pistons lineup: The pros and cons of Isaiah Stewart
The Pistons won the first quarter against the Grizzlies for the first time this season, which may not be a coincidence.
Stewart’s defense and energy set a tone that has been lacking for the Pistons early in games this season. The pro of him starting is that he immediately gives the team a boost of defensive energy to start the game the right way.
Stewart has also been hitting 3-point shots at a high clip and has shown he isn’t afraid to take them, launching eight against the Grizzlies when they repeatedly left him wide open. He only hit two of them against Memphis, but is 50 percent on the season, while Harris has struggled from long range, hitting just 28 percent so far.
But Harris offers something Stewart doesn’t, which is an offensive security blanket in the half court, as the Pistons can give him the ball on the post and let him go to work against most defenders. Stewart has been better offensively, but they're not going to run plays for him, and he’s not a guy you can turn to in a pinch when you need a bucket.
The silver lining to an early injury to Harris is that the Pistons get so to experiment with this lineup for a few games to see if it's something that is a possibility for the future. Harris may not lose his spot in the starting five, but he may lose some minutes to Stewart with Duren on the floor at the same time.
Harris is also on an expiring deal that could end up traded before the season is over, so it will be good to know they have an internal solution that opens up more options for a trade.