Bulls' Noah sat out Tuesday with eye and knee issues

The Chicago Bulls will have a thin frontcourt when they take on the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

With Taj Gibson already sidelined by a sprained ankle, the Bulls found out late that they will also be without center Joakim Noah. Noah was poked in the left eye during Monday's game, and while he returned to that game without issue, his condition Tuesday was such that the team is taking the cautious approach.

Noah has also been dealing with some soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee. Head coach Tom Thibodeau called the issue knee effusion, which indicates swelling or water on the knee.

Tuesday will mark the third game Noah has missed on the season and the first since Nov. 5. Gibson started in his place on the previous two occasions, but it could be Nikola Mirotic or Nazr Mohammed drawing the start on Tuesday with both Noah and Gibson sidelined.

The Bulls' defense could take a serious hit without their best two frontcourt defenders, leaving them vulnerable on the defensive glass. Denver has struggled to a 6-7 start, but they have an average offense and do a decent job crashing the offensive glass. Considering how difficult it is to play on the second night of a back-to-back at high altitude, it's little surprise the Nuggets are 4.5-point favorites when they'd normally be an underdog against the Bulls.