Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011
Posted 9:09 p.m.
By Aggrey Sam
CSNChicago.com
Injured Bulls center Joakim Noah was in an upbeat mood when addressing the media to provide an update on his progress from his December thumb surgery.
Ive been working for a little while and just ready to get this cast off and get back to work, said Noah. Im just trying to be patient and try to stay in high spirits.
I just want to come back as soon as possible. As soon as my hand is healthy, I want to be back there, regardless of what game it is, the charismatic center continued. I knew I was going to take the pin out Tuesday, so I dont really know if its quicker than usual, but everythings been on schedule.
Noah expressed optimism that hed be able to go on the teams upcoming, five-game West Coast road trip Monday, which coincides with the date his cast is removed.
Right now, Im getting this cast off on Monday, before we leave and then I will rehab it until my hand gets strong, and then I will be out there on the court as soon as I can, said Noah, who acknowledged it was Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeaus decision as to whether he traveled with the team. Its Thibs decision, unfortunatelyI told him that I was going to get on the plane and hed have to kick me off and physically take me off. I really want to go on this trip. Its cold out here right now, so Im excited to spend some time with my teammates.
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For Thibodeaus part, the coach told reporters Wednesday that Noahwho was working on drills with his left hand at the end of Wednesdays practice, much to the delight of teammate Carlos Boozerwould most likely make the trip.
Hes on schedule, maybe a little ahead of schedule, but now he has to strengthen the hand, said Thibodeau. The next step will be getting him on to the court to do non-contact stuff. Hes probably still maybe a week or two away from that. Then, once he can get through the non-contact part of practice, the step after that will be the contact part of practice. When he gets through that, then he plays. Hes still two steps away.
Hes in good spirits. Hes working out. He still cant do anything on the court, but hes doing his conditioning and his strength stuff, Thibodeau continued. I know hes anxious to get back. Hes doing everything that he can. Hes done a great job with his conditioning while hes been hurt. He just has to be patient.
While Noah admitted that conditioning and doing drills with his left hand is nothing like playing in the games, hes striving to be as close to game speed upon his return.
Right now, Im just trying to control what I can control and thats get this hand better, get this cast off, rehab, do as much as I can with my left hand and condition and strengthening, stuff like that. When Im out there, I want to help this team the best way I can, but we have been playing great. Kurt Thomas has been doing a great job for us, said Noah. Its definitely differentjust running up and down compared to all the pounding, physicality and pushing of the game; theres no way to prepare for thatbut Im just doing what I can control and doing the best that I can. Just conditioning, jump rope, squats.
Right now, Im in a cast so theres not much that I can do, but once I get the cast off, thats when I start the rehab, he continued. Its part of the process. I guess theres worse things, but just being in a castIm claustrophobic, so at night sometimes I freak out when I have the castbut hey, four more days.
Noah praised the doctors who performed the procedure, injecting his typical quirkiness to the explanation.
The doctors did a great job getting the pin out. It was a little bent apparently. Its usually a 10-minute procedure and it took a little bit longer than that. Its probably my fault. Im happy that its done and I dont have a pin in my finger anymore. Im just waiting for it to healI must have lifted weights or somethingdone somethingthe doctor wasnt very happy about it.
Im happy that he got the pin out without it breaking.
Aggrey Sam is CSNChicago.com's Bulls Insider. Follow him @CSNBullsInsider on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bulls information and his take on the team, the NBA and much more.