Isaiah Stewart’s injury status has been updated for Game 3 on April 24 against the New York Knicks.

The Detroit Pistons announced Stewart, their key backup center and emotional leader, will not play, according to the NBA injury report. Stewart missed April 21’s Game 2 win with right knee inflammation.

Stewart, 23, gutted through 19 minutes April 19 in Game 1 after sitting out the Pistons’ final two games of the regular season with the same injury.

The fifth-year big is the backbone of the Pistons’ defense and one of the NBA’s most productive rim protectors.

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After Wednesday’s practice, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Stewart is “day-to-day.” 

Isaiah Stewart backup is Paul Reed

Reed, nicknamed “BBall Paul,” played 11 minutes in Game 2 as the backup center behind Jalen Duren, who played 37 minutes. Reed committed two egregious turnovers in the first half, but converted three of his four shots at the rim for six points and corralled one offensive rebound, one steal and one block.

Reed, undersized for a center at 6 feet 9 and 220 pounds, played in 45 games this season as the Pistons’ third center, averaging 9.7 minutes and 4.1 points per game on just 50.7% shooting.

Reed, 25, was the 58th overall pick out of DePaul by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2020 draft. He has plenty of big-game experience having appeared in 32 playoff games over four seasons with the Sixers.

Free Press sports writer Omari Sankofa II contributed to this report.

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