Bulls' Noah out Monday with general soreness
The Chicago Bulls might get All-Star shooting guard Jimmy Butler back for Monday's contest against the playoff-hopeful Charlotte Hornets. But they'll be without Joakim Noah.
Chicago's starting center is getting the night off due to general soreness.
Noah recently missed a game due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee, and has been placed on a minutes restrictions that's often kept him off the court during crunch time. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said he's trying to keep Noah at 32 minutes per game, a mark the two-time All-Star hasn't eclipsed in any of his last nine contests.
The 30-year-old has struggled for the injury-riddled Bulls, who enter Monday in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Noah's averaging 7.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and shooting a career-low 44 percent from the field.
His next chance to play will come Wednesday versus the Toronto Raptors, whom the Bulls are a half-game behind for third in the East.