After missing the Detroit Pistons\u2019 last 11 and 13 games, respectively, Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart will both be back for Wednesday\u2019s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.<\/p>\n
Cunningham, who\u2019s returning from a left lung pneumothorax<\/a>, exited five minutes into the Pistons\u2019 March 17 win over the Washington Wizards after a collision with rookie Tre Johnson. Stewart returns after recovering from a Grade 1 left calf strain. He last played in Detroit\u2019s March 13 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.<\/p>\n The Pistons maintained their position atop the East without two of their most valuable players, going 9-4 since Stewart has been sidelined and 8-3 since Cunningham went down to clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference for the first time since 2007<\/a>. This was Cunningham\u2019s longest time away from the hardwood since a stress fracture in his left shin<\/a> forced him to miss 70 games during the 2022-23 season.<\/p>\n While Cunningham could apply for the \u201cextraordinary circumstances challenge\u201d considering he\u2019s played a total of 60 games that count toward end-of-season awards and could end with 63, Stewart will not meet the 65-game threshold to qualify for end-of-season awards. Stewart spoke candidly about not being eligible at shootaround.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m feeling good now. That time allowed (my calf) to settle down, allowed me to feel better and allowed me to feel like myself,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cObviously, it was tough for me because I was trying to chase that 65-game rule to hopefully qualify for an award. But at the end of the day, you have to not be selfish, and I want to be there for my teammates come playoffs.<\/p>\n \u201c(I wanted to make sure) I\u2019m able to play and I\u2019m available, which is the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Stewart has played in 55 games thus far this season and is averaging a career-high 1.6 blocks per game.<\/p>\n At the time of Cunningham\u2019s injury, I spoke with Dr. Daniel H. Sterman, the director of NYU Langone Medical Center\u2019s pulmonary division, to clarify whether any residual effects from a collapsed lung might linger.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this particular case, there may not be any because it sounds like there was a predisposing factor,\u201d Sterman told The Athletic\u00a0in a March phone interview. \u201cIt might be more worrisome if it just happened while he was walking down the street or walking to practice or to the shower and had a true spontaneous event, because that could then happen again.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this circumstance, if there\u2019s an explanation \u2014 someone fell on top of him, there would be less of a concern about reoccurrence, although it certainly could happen. \u2026 The ramp up would not necessarily be for his lung per se, but to get back into game shape after a few weeks of not being active.\u201d<\/p>\n Similar to what\u2019s likely the plan for Cunningham, Stewart isn\u2019t expecting to hit the ground running immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s all on the training staff and the plan they put in place to make sure I\u2019m at my best come playoffs,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cSo, I\u2019m sure there will be some ramping up. I don\u2019t think they\u2019re going to unleash me fully right now, but thats OK. (I\u2019m) just trusting the plan they\u2019ve got for me to get me back out there and feeling my best come playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n Cunningham was first spotted back at Detroit\u2019s practice facility a week after suffering the injury, during a post-shootaround session open to reporters ahead of the team\u2019s March 25 game against the Atlanta Hawks. He was working with team trainers in the weight room, but was not yet back to on-court work at that time. He was on the floor with his teammates Wednesday.<\/p>\n Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart are both back at Pistons shootaround this morning: pic.twitter.com\/SLcvmKYdFo<\/a><\/p>\n