Chicago Bulls Injury Rumors: Joakim Noah Out, Bulls Need to Regroup
The Chicago Bulls had a tumultuous couple of weeks, highlighted by Jimmy Butler calling out first year head coach Fred Hoiberg for being too soft, followed by the injury of center Joakim Noah. And to make matters worse, Noah, who injured his shoulder and expected to be out two weeks, may actually be sidelined up to four weeks instead.
After undergoing an MRI, it was revealed that his left shoulder had a slight tear, which means that he'll need more time to recover.
It's never good news for a team that has been embroiled in problems relating to consistency. When the front office brought in Fred Hoiberg to replace Tom Thibodeau, the objective was to inject something new to the team; some sort of offensive system while maintaining the defensive identity the team has been known for. But the problem is their main defensive guy is injured and there's no certainty as to when he'll come back.
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Hoiberg talked about Noah's injury. "Jo had an MRI this morning, and it's a sprained shoulder. It will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He's obviously very sore today. The shoulder popped out of joint for a brief second, so he's going to be sore and stiff," he said.
The injury happened when Noah bumped into and tangled with Brooklyn Nets forward Andrea Bargnani during the third quarter of the Bulls' 105-102 defeat on Monday.
During Thibodeau's tenure in Chicago, Noah became an integral part of the system that fed on defense to topple opponents. The team had significant success for several years but could not reach the finals due to frequent injuries to its star, Derrick Rose.
But the veteran center's playing time has been significantly reduced with the emergence of the Bulls' frontline players including Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic, and Taj Gibson. This season, he averages 4.5 points per game.
