INQUIRER Sports

CHICAGO?The NBA's Chicago Bulls said on Wednesday that center Joakim Noah will miss three more weeks because of the plantar fasciitis in his left foot that has hindered him for the past month.

The Frenchman missed seven straight games in early February and played limited minutes in his first three games back before getting 11 rebounds in 27 minutes against Portland on Friday.

He did not travel with the team to Indianapolis the next day and missed Chicago's loss to Atlanta on Monday.

The injury has interrupted a breakout season for Noah, who is averaging 10.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said Noah would be missed.

"I don't know if you do replace him," Del Negro said. "He was the second-leading rebounder in the whole NBA. He brings a lot of energy and has a great spirit to the game for us. He gets us possessions and out on the break. His offense has developed all year. It's a big loss."

Noah, who will miss at least 10 games, admitted this week that he needed to rest his foot, but with Chicago in playoff contention he indicated he wants to be back for the postseason.

"I?m not healthy right now and I probably won?t be healthy until the end of the season," Noah said this week. "I won?t be 100 percent, but at least I?ll be able to play when it matters. That?s the goal."