Knicks' Joakim Noah: Will play Friday

Noah (illness) will start at center Friday against the Hornets, but could play limited minutes, Al Iannazzone of Newsday reports.

Analysis:

Noah missed the Knicks' past two games with the illness, but was back at practice Thursday, which foreshadowed his return to action Friday. While the veteran is in line to reclaim starting duties, coach Jeff Hornacek indicated that Noah may not surpass the 23.4 minutes per game he's averaging on the season, as he may not be 100 percent recovered from the illness. In addition, the Knicks have another game against the Hornets in Charlotte on Saturday, so Noah could be limited a bit for both halves of the back-to-back set.