The Detroit Pistons have clawed, scraped, and hustled their way through this postseason. Every possession, every rebound, a test of willpower. But as the stakes hit new highs, Detroit enters Game 6 with more questions than answers. Isaiah Stewart, the Pistons’ muscle in the paint, hasn’t suited up since Game 1. Cade Cunningham, the face of the franchise, had Game 4 in the palm of his hand, until that final jumper rimmed out and hope slipped through Detroit’s fingers. After dropping Game 5 at MSG, the Knicks now hold a commanding 3-2 lead. Everything hinges on who’s healthy enough and hungry enough to keep Detroit’s playoff dream alive.

Stewart’s absence has been more than a footnote. His name might not light up the scoreboard, but his presence has been sorely missed on the defensive end. Detroit dominated the glass in Game 2 without him. Three players notched double-digit boards, but that magic wore off fast. By Game 3, the series had turned into a war zone, filled with shoves, flagrant fouls, and boiling tension. And through it all, TNT’s cameras kept cutting to Stewart in street clothes, somehow becoming the symbol of a fight he couldn’t join. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham has remained sensational, putting up Oscar Robertson-level numbers in his first playoff run. But with Detroit still trailing in the series, those heroics need results, and fast.

So what’s the verdict heading into Game 6? According to ESPN’s latest injury report, Isaiah Stewart remains questionable due to ongoing knee inflammation, and his return is still up in the air. As for Cade Cunningham, he’s all systems go. No injury concerns to report. He’s expected to lead the charge for Detroit in their elimination clash back at home. With Jaden Ivey still ruled out, Stewart’s presence could inject the interior defense with some sorely needed grit. But make no mistake. This is Cade’s team, and their postseason fate rides on his shoulders.

That’s why the pressure’s boiling over. In the four games Stewart has missed, Detroit has been outscored by an average of 10 points in the paint. Their rebounding edge from earlier in the series didn’t carry over. New York pounded them 48-39 on the glass in Game 4, and the Pistons struggled to close possessions again in Game 5. Without Stewart’s size and tenacity, Detroit’s rim protection has crumbled. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham continues to carry the load. His 25.8 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game this postseason have put him in elite company, joining Oscar Robertson as the only point guards to start their playoff careers with four straight 20/10 games.

But despite the brilliance, Detroit is one loss away from elimination. Stewart’s return could patch up the defensive leaks. But it’s Cade’s resilience, especially after that Game 4 heartbreaker and a quiet second half in Game 5, that might determine whether the Pistons live to fight another day.

As Game 6 approaches, Detroit isn’t just searching for a win. They’re searching for an identity under the bright lights. With Isaiah Stewart listed as questionable and Cade Cunningham confirmed to play, that identity might just be forged under fire. The Pistons are bruised, but not broken. Stewart’s status could tip the balance, and Cade’s response to adversity will write the next chapter of his young playoff legacy. But even beyond the box score and medical reports, this game feels heavier. It wasn’t just talent or tactics that shaped this series. It was a whistle, or the lack of one, that turned the tide. And that’s where the conversation now shifts.

ESPN’s Jefferson weighs in on missed Pistons call

Referees often fade into the background, unless something goes wrong. But in Game 4 of Pistons vs. Knicks, something definitely did. And it didn’t just rile up fans. It lit a fire under ESPN analyst and former NBA champ Richard Jefferson. On the latest episode of Road Trippin’, Jefferson gave one of the most detailed dissections of a missed call you’ll ever hear, zeroing in on the controversial no-call when Josh Hart made heavy contact with Tim Hardaway Jr. on a potential game-tying three. According to Jefferson, the officiating breakdown wasn’t just unfortunate. It may have changed the entire course of the series.

Jefferson didn’t mince words. “That was the single biggest possession and missed call of the entire series,” he declared, pointing out how referees often miss contact when shifting focus from players’ feet to their wrists and back. The angle, the positioning, the timing. It all worked against the officiating crew. And while Jefferson acknowledged the human side of the error, he didn’t soften the blow. Momentum, he argued, swung violently in New York’s favor the moment that whistle stayed silent. A tie game turned into a 3-1 chokehold. The Pistons, once surging, now teeter on the edge.

But the shocker? The referees actually admitted their mistake. Postgame, league officials stepped up and acknowledged that the no-call was indeed an error. It’s a rare moment of transparency in a league often criticized for its silence. That honesty might not change the scoreboard, but it does show how pivotal that moment really was. As Detroit braces for Game 6, the air is thick with controversy, urgency, and a thirst for redemption. All eyes will be on the court, but just as many will be watching the whistles.