Sunday night’s game between the Pistons and Lakers wasn’t circled on many calendars outside of those in Detroit who got themselves tickets to go see LeBron James, Anthony Davis and company. However, it became the lead story of the sports world in the third quarter after LeBron James hit Isaiah Stewart in the eye with an elbow/fist that caused a significant cut, earned James an ejection, and saw Stewart lose it trying to fight the Lakers.
On multiple occasions, Stewart broke free from his teammates and Pistons staffers trying to escort him back to the tunnel, including one time where he broke tackles like prime Bo Jackson and got very close to some of the Lakers who were still mulling about near midcourt.
https://twitter.com/vids_media/status/1462584122279219205
Naturally, NBA Twitter immediately turned Stewart going wild into a meme and had some hilarious reactions to his effort to get after the Lakers. There were a lot of comparisons to football, as Stewart was not to be denied in his quest to get to the Lakers, ripping through people grabbing at him.
This must be what prime Lawrence Taylor was like https://t.co/aQI5lV7T97
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 22, 2021
Someone sign Isaiah Stewart to rush the passer pic.twitter.com/bg1is1cQeq
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) November 22, 2021
The YAC here is enough to make Derrick Henry tip his cap https://t.co/ZSuSn1l6bK
— David Ubben (@davidubben) November 22, 2021
Stewart starts w/the outside rush to get the tackle leaning, then he leverages the inside (think Reggie White, but legal) shows great hands -RB tries to get the chip but he makes a business decision & Stewart is able to get to QB & get the sack with 1-arm.
Pass Rush Grade: 92 https://t.co/Q3g55R7QoF
— Danny Marang (@DannyMarang) November 22, 2021
Derrick Henry https://t.co/vztsGVmVFM
— Overtime (@overtime) November 22, 2021
Finally someone willing to fight through tacklers in Detroit pic.twitter.com/oWKYm298Gb
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) November 22, 2021
https://twitter.com/CadePistons/status/1462582614062256129
looks like a punt return with only the punter to beat https://t.co/JBOpWCO6Ac
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) November 22, 2021
Eddie Kingston v CM Punk https://t.co/KnqzQikWA4
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) November 22, 2021
There was, of course, a Jim Ross/Stone Cold edit, as is the law of the internet.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) November 22, 2021
And plenty of Thanksgiving themed jokes.
Me rushing to the kitchen on Thursday pic.twitter.com/7vToRmyKFL
— baby billy’s bible bonkers (@dreadcraft) November 22, 2021
“Ok y’all thanksgiving dinner is ready” https://t.co/gJKKRCngt3
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) November 22, 2021
A lot of folks also pointed out the “effort” by the one cop on the left as Stewart broke free from Cunningham, as he stuck his hand out to gently say “please stop” as if that would accomplish anything.
can’t stop watching this person “try” to stop isaiah stewart pic.twitter.com/5OPYIKPwE8
— Dan Favale (@danfavale) November 22, 2021
— Alexis Morgan (@alexismorgan) November 22, 2021
There were also a lot of jokes about Russell Westbrook squaring up as Stewart came barreling towards them, as he had the hands up and ready in case Stewart broke all the way through.
https://t.co/G5RJzmaNW4 pic.twitter.com/KU3cIXmBRI
— Pratik (@PatelESPN) November 22, 2021
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 22, 2021
In fairness to him, what is he going to do to stop a man as big as Stewart? Suspensions are surely coming and happily something really bad was avoided, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort from Stewart to rumble with everyone.