Injury threatens Joakim Noah's post-season for Bulls

CHICAGO, April 20 (UPI) -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah could miss the post-season because of a foot injury, the team said.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Friday Noah would be on the injured list for Saturday's first-round playoff game against the Brooklyn Nets, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Thibodeau said Noah's right plantar fasciitis, which forced him to miss 15 games during the season, had flared up.

"It's been a concern since the All-Star break,'' Thibodeau said. "That part is something where it's a tricky issue. He has to try to manage it as best he can. He's doing all he can. He wants to be out there very badly. But we don't want him out there if he's injured.''

Noah, a native New Yorker who was looking forward to playing the Nets on his home turf, acknowledged he probably played when he should not have during the regular season, exacerbating the injury.

"It's really hard,'' Noah said. "All the work you put in is to play in this situation. This is probably one of the hardest things I've had to deal with in my career. Going back home and playing in these playoff games means the world to me."