Why is Isaiah Stewart not playing tonight against Knicks? Pistons' enforcer ruled out for Game 2 explored

The Detroit Pistons will be without Isaiah Stewart in Game 2 of their first-round series against the New York Knicks. Entering the second game of their best-of-seven series, the Pistons have a 0-1 disadvantage and hope to get a win on the road.

Initially, Stewart was listed as questionable ahead of the game. However, it was later confirmed by Detroit that "Beef Stew" has been ruled out of the game because of a right knee inflammation. New York Post's Stefan Bondy confirmed the injury report on Monday.

In Game 1, Stewart left the game at 9:06 during the fourth quarter. His departure from the game gave the Knicks the upper hand as they went on a 21-0 run. Eventually, New York captured the 123-112 victory.

Stewart had two points, five rebounds and two blocks. Additionally, his five fouls were proof of how he asserted himself on the defensive end. Without him for Game 2, the Pistons could look to have a team-oriented defense against the Knicks.

Pistons' head coach knows the value of losing Isaiah Stewart in the rotation

While Isaiah Stewart isn't a starter, he's still valuable to Detroit's success, especially on the defensive end. After Game 1, Pistons' coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke about the importance of having Stewart on the court in the postseason.

“I think we all felt it,” Bickerstaff said when Beef Stew headed to the locker room. “He was phenomenal last night. His effort, how he protected the rim, the energy that he brought, how his teammates fed off of his injury was huge.

"When he’s not on the floor for us, we all have to bring that. We have to find a way because we can’t just lean on him all the time or expect it to just be him. We have to play with that same ferociousness and that effort that he does.”

Without Stewart in the lineup, Bickerstaff could turn to Jalen Duren to take more defensive assignments. In Game 1, Duren focused on being a defensive stalwart for the team. He had seven points, six rebounds and three blocks in 24 minutes.

The Pistons' starting center has to step up in the playoffs while Stewart recovers from his injury.