Pistons' Isaiah Stewart 'feeling better,' upset by awards ineligibility
· Yahoo Sports
Detroit — Isaiah Stewart was reluctant to sit out from an individual standpoint, but after considering the team's playoff potential, the veteran big man chose to comply.
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He and the Detroit Pistons' management met in early March to see how they would handle his ongoing left calf strain. He tried to play through the injury, but the pain became increasingly unbearable as time went on.
On March 15, prior to the Pistons' loss to the Toronto Raptors, the team announced Stewart would be sidelined for an extended period due to his injury. It was a difficult decision for Stewart, as he ended up missing 13 consecutive games. However, after a three-week absence, he is now prepared to return to the lineup just in time for the Pistons' home regular-season finale against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
"I'm feeling good now. That time allowed me to settle down and allowed me to feel better and feel like myself," Stewart said. "Obviously, it was tough. But at the end of the day, I want to be there for my teammates come the playoffs. I'll be able to play and be available, which is the most important thing."
Stewart's determination to play through the injury stemmed from his love for the game and his commitment to his teammates. However, there was even more at stake for him if he missed time. Stewart was striving to meet the league's requirement of playing 65 games to qualify for end-of-season awards.
For the second consecutive season, his improvement on defense put him in a strong position to be a primary candidate for the NBA All-Defensive Team. Stewart was having the best defensive season of his career, leading all reserves in blocks with an average of 1.6 rejections through 55 games.
The decision to prioritize his health over winning awards was made collaboratively by him and the Pistons, especially given that his absence during the team's first-round series against the New York Knicks last season was a major factor in their elimination. Stewart missed nearly the entire six-game series due to a knee injury, playing only in Game 1 before his season came to an end.
"I did not want to run into a situation like last year when I wasn't available. You push and play through stuff, but with playoffs right around the corner, you want to be healthy," Stewart said. "I wanted to push through. But, it would not have worked out in my favor, healthwise."
Stewart's return coincides with Cade Cunningham's comeback, who had missed the previous 11 games due to a collapsed lung.
Despite the Pistons already clinching the No. 1 seed in their absence, coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes having both players return to the court before the playoffs will be beneficial for the team, as it will allow everyone to get back into a rhythm.
"It is what it is. We were able to nip it in the bud, and now I feel much better," Stewart said. "I am really looking forward to getting back out there with the squad and starting building for the extra journey we are about to go on."
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart 'feeling better' on cusp of return