Joakim Noah keeps trying to overcome his plantar fasciitis, one of the most painful, debilitating injuries in the NBA, and the injury keeps winning.
Noah played 27 minutes in the Bulls’ overtime win over the Blazers, but came down and hurt his foot again drawing a foul in the extra session. Post-game, the Bulls announced Noah would not be traveling with the team to Indiana.
Plantar fasciitis is painful, but not restricting. As in, you can play through it, it just hurts like hell. And it only gets better with long-term rest. Which is kind of difficult in March when you’re jockeying for playoff position in the midst of an 82 game season before a long playoff march. It’s such a shame because Noah was playing so well before the condition developed.
Noah was limited even before he came down on it wrong. He was completely dominated on a putback by Lamarcus Aldridge after a Brandon Roy missed free throw, which helped lead to the Blazers forcing overtime. It’s a difficult injury to play with, to live with, and for coaches to manage. The Bulls will have to find a way, though, with as much as they need Noah.