As the East-leading Detroit Pistons return from the All-Star break to face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Thursday night, they’re still without [Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, still serving their respective suspensions](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2026/02/pistons-stewart-duren-hit-with-multi-game-suspensions-for-hornets-fight.html).
But they will return one of their most impactful bench performers with [Ron Holland](https://www.mlive.com/topic/ron-holland/) off the injury report and set to be available for the matchup.
The second-year forward missed Detroit’s last two games against the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors due to personal reasons.
The Pistons still won both of those games — even against the Raptors when Duren’s two-game and Stewart’s seven-game suspensions began — but will be glad Holland is back to face the Knicks.
Holland doesn’t always light up on offense, but his defensive presence is major for the Pistons and it’s been just that way against the Knicks this season.
In their Jan. 5 meeting, Holland had three blocks, one steal and five rebounds. And on Feb. 6 — Holland’s most recent appearance — he totaled six rebounds, three assists and two steals as a +28 when he was on the court.
Even after missing these last two games, Holland remains one of Detroit’s most reliable competitors on a night-to-night basis. Outside a pair of missed games in December due to left knee soreness, Holland hasn’t missed any extended time.
He only trails Javonte Green (53 games) and Duncan Robinson (51 games) in games played this season for the Pistons at 49. For the season, Holland is averaging 8.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 assists in almost 21 minutes per appearance.
The Pistons’ game against the Knicks is set for 7:30 p.m. in New York. Detroit won the first two matchups this season against the squad that eliminated it from the playoffs last season.
A win would mark the first time since 2018-19 for the Pistons to sweep the Knicks in their regular-season series.