As the Chicago Bulls prepare for a playoff run without star Derrick Rose, they could be missing another key piece to the team. Joakim Noah has been suffering from lingering foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis and it appears the condition could be more serious than originally expected. The Bulls are preparing to square off in the first-round of the playoffs against the Brooklyn News and Noah is likely to miss the some if not all of the series.
Noah looked as if he was healed when he was able to play the final two games of the regular season. The team limited him to just 14 minutes of playing time in each game. Noah then reportedly suffered a setback and is now experiencing much more pain than before.
Noah missed 12 of 13 games with the right foot injury during the final stretch of the regular season. He made the decision to play the final two games, despite the team not really needing him. It was the two games that have now caused the setback.
The team will now rely on Taj Gibson and Luol Deng to help carry the weight during the first round. The two players, along with Rip Hamilton, are expected to be back in the lineup after also suffering from various injuries. Nazir Mohammed will now be the team's starting center due to lack of depth. At 35, he has NBA title experience after winning a championship with the San Antonio Spurs. He has been shooting 25 percent from the field this season. Malcolm Thomas, who signed with the team in March, will not be eligible for the playoffs, leaving little depth behind Carlos Boozer.
Without Noah, the team's playoff run becomes even more of an uphill battle. Facing the Nets' big man Brook Lopez along with the rebounding of Reggie Evans will be tough without Noah. At this point, Noah is considered day-to-day and his status will likely be determined based on pain level the day of the game. The Bulls will play Brooklyn in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday.
