Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah (knee bruise) misses Bulls' practice

Chicago Bulls forward Joakim Noah missed practice on Friday due to a minor knee bruise, and his status for Saturday's preseason game is uncertain.

What It Means:

Noah was dinged fighting for a loose ball back on Thursday. Head coach Fred Hoiberg said the injury was minor, so there doesn't appear to be much cause for concern.

The larger concern for Noah would likely be Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic finished his rookie season with a 111 Offensive Rating, and his Usage Rate jumped to 28.3 after the All-Star break. Noah's Usage Rate was low in the first half of the season at 14.2, but it dipped to 12.8 in the second half. If Mirotic is able to claim the starting gig, he may not relinquish it.