ATLANTA -- Although he stressed it's not imminent, coach Vinny Del Negro confirmed the Bulls have talked about shutting down Joakim Noah with four games left until the All-Star break.
Noah clearly has been affected by the plantar fasciitis in his left foot the last two games and has not moved well.
Asked if the Bulls would shut Noah down if the third-year center regressed to the point where he moves even worse than he already is, Del Negro said:
"Yeah, absolutely. We're just going to try to see what we can get out of him until he can get some rest at the All-Star break. We'll monitor it every day. Some days, you feel better than others with it. We'll use him as much as he can move."
Photo: Joakim Noah's mobility is limited by plantar fasciitis in his left foot. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
Noah said he won't ask management to sit because it's not in his nature, tho
ugh he did sit out the recent road game in Houston. Asked why the Bulls wouldn't proactively shut down Noah, Del Negro said:
"If you shut him down for a week, that doesn't guarantee he will feel better. That's not how that condition works. You don't know. I had it for two years when I played."
The Bulls held a light practice at Georgia Tech in which they watched film, shot and ran through plays. Noah, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng, who tweaked his ankle, watched. Deng will play against Atlanta on Friday.
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Do you know what is that Plantar Fasciitis Noah has?
Find out all about PF in this website:
http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com
Just smoke some more dope, you'll be alright...
This is not good. Da Bulls just traded their 3rd center for another guard even though they knew Noah had a lingering injury. That's a personnel decision that doesn't make much sense. The reasoning was to provide insurance at the guard spot if Hinrich or Salmons were traded. But Brown hasn't shown in his limited time as a Bull to step fill a starting or second SG role. So, inquiring minds want to know how the Bulls will make up for Noah's 10 points, 10 rebounds per game, not to mention the hustle and energy he delivers. Furthermore, why isn't Tyrus Thomas getting minutes against less talented more athletic teams like the Clippers & Sixers? His length and shot blocking ability was much needed last night. Yet Vinny only gave him 16 minutes despite a productive first half by TT. I was weary about the Bulls coming home after the road trip. They are horribly inconsistent, lack solid game plans, and now have injuries to boot. A .500 record would be fantastic for this team. Hope to get the 7th seed and avoid the Cavaliers.