NBA Analyst Confident Beef Stew Would Have Helped Pistons Beat Knicks

The Detroit Pistons concluded their season with a first-round playoff exit, losing to the New York Knicks in six games despite achieving their highest win total (44) since the 2015-16 season and securing the Eastern Conference's No. 6 seed.

The series was highly competitive, with four games decided by a single possession and all but Game 1 (an 11-point Knicks win) ending within a six-point margin, leaving outcomes uncertain throughout.

Detroit faced a critical absence as Isaiah Stewart suffered knee inflammation in Game 1 after contributing two points and five rebounds in 19 minutes. His defensive presence, particularly against Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, was sorely missed for the remainder of the series.

Analyst Sam Vecenie of The Athletic argued that a healthy Stewart would have propelled the Pistons to victory, citing Stewart's regular-season success in limiting Towns to 2-7 shooting when guarding him directly—compared to Towns' 8-12 against other defenders.

Without Stewart, Towns dominated the series, averaging 19.7 points and 10 rebounds per game while shooting 49% from the field, 48% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line.

Given the razor-thin margins in the series, Stewart's injury likely cost Detroit a potential upset, underscoring how a single roster absence impacted their playoff trajectory.