Bulls' Noah out Wednesday with hamstring issue

Joakim Noah will not be in the lineup when the Chicago Bulls look to lock down the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, once again joining Kirk Hinrich on the sidelines.

Noah will miss a second straight game due to left hamstring tendinitis, but head coach Tom Thibodeau said the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is expected to be ready for the first game of the playoffs this weekend.

Noah will finish the regular season with averages of 7.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 blocks in 67 games.

Hinrich had already been ruled out of Wednesday's contest with a hyperextended knee.

The Bulls can clinch the third seed and a first-round matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks by beating Atlanta on Wednesday or if the Toronto Raptors lose to the Charlotte Hornets, although that would also put them on a second-round collision course with the Cleveland Cavaliers.