Derrick Rose Owes It To Teammates To Return On Time

Joakim Noah

Although he has looked better lately, Joakim Noah has been plagued with lingering discomfort associated with an arthroscopic procedure that he underwent during the off-season. He won’t publicly admit it, but Noah’s play clearly indicates that he is playing through a substantial amount of pain at times due to the injury. His activity and energy on both ends of the floor hasn’t been consistently present like in seasons past. Noah admitted in January that his knee surgery was far more serious than Bulls personnel were willing to admit.

"“It was more than a scope. That’s what it was supposed to be. So (rehab) definitely took longer than we expected.”"

Sources close to Joakim Noah indicate that the Bulls center remains privately concerned with the status of his knee.

Mar 15, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) fights for a loose ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard

(2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Last season in the playoffs, Joakim Noah noticeably labored through a series against the Washington Wizards. Although he was essentially reduced to playing on  one leg because of knee pain, Noah admirably gritted it out through the entirety of the series.

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