The playoffs bring out the heat, and for the Detroit Pistons, the fire’s been burning even before Game 3 tipped off. Already down a key starter in Isaiah Stewart, Detroit walked into their first home playoff game since 2019 with a chip on their shoulder and a roster still figuring things out. The stakes? Massive. The energy? Unmatched. And in true postseason fashion, it didn’t take long for things to boil over.

This wasn’t unfamiliar territory for Detroit. In Game 2, they pulled off a statement win on the road—without Stewart. Three players recorded 12 or more rebounds. The grit was undeniable. That performance gave fans hope: maybe they could scrap their way through this series. But hope doesn’t take hits in the paint. Players do. And that missing player—Isaiah Stewart’s—was felt in Game 3.

And what a Game 3 it was. The Little Caesars Arena crowd was electric, the game swinging like a pendulum with momentum shifting every few possessions. Detroit erased a 13-point halftime deficit to make it a thriller. But in the final minutes, the Knicks—with Towns, Brunson, Anunoby, and Bridges all delivering—eked out a 118-116 win. It was the kind of game that demands every inch from your roster.

And yet, while fans were caught up in the drama on-court, TNT’s cameras had a different idea. Isaiah Stewart—out again due to knee inflammation—wasn’t even in uniform. Yet somehow, he became the face of a fight he didn’t throw a punch in. Early in the first quarter, the game turned scrappy. Jalen Brunson was hit with a flagrant foul after catching Tim Hardaway Jr. on a closeout. Minutes later, Paul Reed and Knicks bigs Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson exchanged shoves. Techs were handed out like playoff towels.

But here’s where it got weird. TNT’s cameras? They couldn’t stop cutting to Stewart. Sitting in street clothes. Just watching. The moment the scuffle started, the broadcast panned to him—and then again—and again. Almost like they were expecting him to teleport onto the floor and square up.

Fans found it hilarious… and kind of unfair. As the broadcast kept circling back to Stewart, social media exploded. Some saw it as classic playoff trolling. Others called it lazy framing. After all, he wasn’t even suited up. All he did was sit—and somehow that was enough to dominate the camera feed.

A likely reason? Reputation. Stewart’s past altercations—including his infamous 2021 clash with LeBron James where he chased the superstar across the court, bloodied and enraged—cemented him as a player with a short fuse. In 2024, he was even briefly arrested for punching Drew Eubanks near the Phoenix arena loading dock. Add to that his 15 technical fouls this season—third-most in the league—and you get the media’s go-to villain. So when things got physical, producers defaulted to drama. But this time, there was none. Just a guy in sweats trying to support his team.

The irony? Stewart has evolved. A former Mr. Basketball USA and FIBA U17 gold medalist, he’s gone from blue-chip prospect to blue-collar role player. This season, despite reduced minutes, he posted career highs in field-goal percentage (55.9%), blocks (1.4), and assists (1.7). And while his nickname “Beef Stew” still conjures aggression, this year he’s brought quiet consistency more than chaos.

Fans Have a Field Day as TNT Zooms In on the Wrong Stewart

It wasn’t Isaiah Stewart’s fight. But TNT’s cameras made it look like it was. “Reed is fighting KAT and the cameraman showed Isaiah Stewart 😭😭,” one fan posted, summing up the absurdity with a laugh—and a jab.

“This man just sitting. Why they show Isaiah Stewart 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣,” added another viewer, baffled that the broadcast kept circling back to the Pistons forward who, for once, was not throwing punches.

It wasn’t just a one-off. The moment Paul Reed and Karl-Anthony Towns got tangled up, TNT’s broadcast reflexively panned to Stewart—over and over—like muscle memory rooted in his past altercations.

“Detroit Pistons get into an altercation constantly zooms in on Isaiah Stewart buddy not even suited up 🤣🤣,” one fan wrote, perfectly capturing the mismatch between reality and reputation.

The most poetic take from a fan, however, came via a gif: a figure leaning their head on a rainy car window, captioned “Isaiah Stewart watching a fight happen on court without playing.” That image—sad, sidelined, and soaked in irony—spoke louder than words.

It’s a classic case of narrative inertia. Stewart has moved on. The league, and its camera crews, clearly haven’t. But when Reed, Towns, and Robinson are the ones actually involved, cutting to Stewart felt like a punchline that hit too hard.

Even without Stewart, the Pistons showed resilience. Paul Reed—tasked with replacing that interior presence—stepped up with rebounding grit. Cade Cunningham kept the offense flowing. And despite the tone of the night, Detroit held their own on the glass and in the trenches.

Still, the pressure is growing. The Knicks have a clean bill of health and a deeper big-man rotation. With Mitchell Robinson and Towns throwing weight in the paint, Detroit needs Stewart’s toughness more than ever. Reed can plug gaps, but he can’t shoulder the entire burden.

But there’s a deeper takeaway here. This isn’t just about who threw a shove or who got teed up. It’s about perception. About narrative. Stewart didn’t play—but he played a part in how this game was framed.

The series is now 2-1 in favor of the Knicks. The emotions are real. And while Stewart’s street clothes may be getting more screen time than some starters, his absence on the hardwood could be the difference if things get tighter.

Game 3 gave us fireworks. But the Pistons’ fight—both literal and emotional—is just beginning.