Gilbert Arenas makes stunning Isaiah Stewart prediction after Pistons-Timberwolves brawl..
Gilbert Arenas believes that Isaiah Stewart might be scapegoated for the Pistons’ rough style of play this season.
Recently, the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves were involved in a skirmish that resulted in seven ejections of both players and coaches. At the center of it all was Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart, who has been in his fair share of altercations throughout his career, including most notably with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James several years ago.
The Pistons this year have become known for their gritty style of basketball, and recently, former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas took to his own “Gil’s Arena Show” podcast to relay his thoughts on how this Pistons team compares to those of the 1980s.
“They’re known for rough and tough, gritty basketball, but they’re champions. Right, no one thinks of the Detroit Pistons as champs,” said Arenas. “Like they’re a championship city because the punching and the fighting and the bad boy style overlooked the two (titles). See the ‘04 wasn’t a bad boys team, they just were a great defensive team. This team is more like the bad boys style, which if no one noticed, that got quickly banned.”
Arenas then predicted that Stewart might be scapegoated by the NBA as a way to deter teams from engaging in that kind of play.
“So when I say this team has to tread lightly, that’s not the NBA today. It’s going to be one of those teams where Stewart himself, because everyone is looking at him as the engine of this type of style and he will be exiled for what’s going on there and replaced,” said Arenas.
A blast from the past
Related Detroit Pistons News
Article continues below
Adam Silver with Timberwolves’ Naz Reid & Donte DiVincenzo, Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart
Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Stewart among 5 players suspended for Timberwolves-Pistons brawl
21h
Alex Rodriguez, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons logos
Alex Rodriguez caught in middle of Timberwolves, Pistons brawl
1d
Donte DiVincenzo (Timberwolves) as Brock Lesnar and Ron Holland (Pistons) as Bobby Lashley.
Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards drops truth bombs on Pistons fight
2d
Pistons’ JB Bickerstaff, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart angry
Pistons’ JB Bickerstaff breaks silence on Timberwolves coach’s role in wild brawl
2d
Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) gestures towards the crowd after a fight against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Target Center. Stewart was later ejected from the game
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
As Arenas referenced, the 1980s and early 1990s Detroit Pistons, known as the “Bad Boys,” were famous for their physical style of play, including most notably in their several playoff matchups against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
While this Pistons team may not be quite as menacing as the one 35 years ago, they still profile as one of the tougher teams in the current NBA landscape, led by Stewart, who has never backed down from an altercation.
In any case, the Pistons will next take the floor on Wednesday evening vs the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jackson Stone is a sports journalist for ClutchPoints with expertise in covering the NBA, NFL, and CAA Football. The Mercer University senior from Atlanta is on track to graduate with a BA in communications, and he has bylines at FanSided and USA Today Sports’ Georgia athletics website.
Pistons suspend three for fight with Wolves, all will miss OKC game
Isaiah Stewart gets multi-game suspension because of history of discpline
By Sean Corp Apr 2, 2025, 8:58am EDT
Share this story
Share this on Facebook (opens in new window)
Share this on Twitter (opens in new window)
Share
All sharing options
The NBA handed down a two-game suspension to Isaiah Stewart and one-game suspensions to Ron Holland and Marcus Sasser for their roles in the fight between the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota’s Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo also received one-game suspensions.
The five players and two coaches, Detroit head coach JB Bickerstaff and Minnesota assistant Pablo Prigioni, were all ejected from Sunday’s game when some hard fouls led to a confrontation between Reid and Holland, which then devolved into a full-on scrum between players on both teams that trickled into the first rows of fans.
Stewart received the multi-game suspension because of his history of discipline for physical confrontations (cue clip of a bloodied Stewart barely being restrained from going after LeBron James).
The timing is unfortunate as all three Pistons will likely miss tonight’s nationally televised matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Also missing the game will be Cade Cunningham, who will sit out his fifth straight as he recovers from a left calf contusion, and the team works to ensure he is healthy for the playoffs.
Stewart previously received a one-game suspension after a hard foul against the Indiana Pacers earlier this season. Last season, which we all wish we could forget, he got suspended for three games after an in-arena confrontation with Drew Eubanks of the Phoenix Suns, which reportedly included a punch. The previous season he received a two-game suspension for the aforementioned incident against James and the Lakers.
The Pistons lost a hard-fought game to the Thunder at Little Caesars Arena in mid-March and many were excited for the rematch. (Me, I am many). The Pistons will now be without their likely All-NBA player, best defensive center, their only backup point guard, and a rookie that has a knack for providing energy in key games.
About The Author
