Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart returns from a two-game league suspension tonight when his team hosts the Grizzlies. Stewart’s suspension was handed down due to his involvement in Detroit’s altercation with the Timberwolves on Sunday.
The Pistons have reestablished themselves as a hard-nosed, defensive unit epitomized by their backup center. Stewart wants to set a defensive tone once he enters the game, he told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press .
“I would say I’m the most versatile defender,” Stewart said. “I’m the best rim protector. I can guard out on the perimeter. I feel like there’s a lot of things that I do on the defensive end that nobody else does, in my opinion, from communicating, being the commander, getting my guys in their spots, always having my guys back. There’s always a shift when I enter the game on defense. Rather that time, their offense slows down while we’re building the lead or their offense slows down while we’re getting back into the game. I always make a shift.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a stat line of 35 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists against the Sixers on Thursday. That was a first in NBA history, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm notes. “When you’re the primary ball-handler, you just gotta keep on making good decisions for the team,” said Antetokounmpo, who set a career high with his assist total. “I feel like most of the time, I try to make the best decision for myself or for my teammates.”
- The Sixers’ Jared McCain , a one-and-done player at Duke, would be thrilled if Philadelphia won the lottery and wound up with Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg , he told RG.org’s DJ Siddiqi . “It’d be amazing,” McCain said. “It’d be super cool to have him. He makes every team that he’s on better, so it’d be really cool to just have him on the team. It’s always nice to have someone from Duke by my side. I got a lot of Kentucky people with me, you know what I’m saying? I need some more Duke guys.”
- The Raptors have already picked up their 2026/27 option on coach Darko Rajakovic’s contract, ensuring their financial commitment to him for the next two seasons. That players on the roster believe Rajakovic is the right man to bring them back to prominence. “I think his work ethic is incredible and his passion for the sport and for us as a team, for getting us better, it really shows,” Jakob Poeltl told Josh Lewenberg of TSN . “You can tell in practice and games, he’s really adamant about what he wants stuff to look like and I think he has a very clear vision. He’s smart and I think he understands modern basketball really well. He’s been great for us and it’s been showing.”