Foot injury sidelines Bulls' Joakim Noah

Tyrus Thomas tries to get between Houston's David Andersen and Carl Landry.

HOUSTON -- Joakim Noah tried it all -- stretching, a massage, a painkilling shot.

And still he succumbed to the plantar fasciitis in his left foot, missing his first game this season after getting scratched about nine minutes before tipoff Saturday night.

"I've had it a little throughout the year, but it's getting worse and worse," Noah said. "This morning I could hardly walk. I couldn't stop or jump or cut or push on it. I tried everything I could to play. I went through warmup lines. Before the game, I was doing spot shooting. I just couldn't get going. The pain is too much."

The Bulls first disclosed Noah's injury following Friday's victory in Phoenix. As he iced his foot in the postgame locker room late Friday, Noah said the situation flared up to "very painful" conditions Wednesday night after the Clippers' loss.

Taj Gibson also is battling the condition in his right foot.

"I think Jo's is more serious because Taj hasn't missed a game and Jo did," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "And I know Jo would've if he could've. It's a tough injury to get rid of during the season. We'll be aggressive with it and see how he reacts."

Noah said he planned rest and treatment on the Bulls' day off Sunday. He said he hopes to play Monday in San Antonio.

"There was no point in playing (Saturday)," Noah said. "Depth is one of our strengths."

Sweet dreams

The Bulls arrived from Phoenix and at their local hotels around 4:30 AM and most players said they didn't fall asleep until 5 AM or later. Del Negro pushed the team meeting to noon, and several players said they woke up to attend and then went back to sleep after.

"You just have to hydrate, sleep and try to get good calories in you," guard Kirk Hinrich said.

The Rockets won in San Antonio Friday night but landed from their short flight before the Bulls-Suns game even ended.

"I was up like they were," Rockets coach Rick Adelman deadpanned. "I was home though."

T-Mac talk

The Bulls are one of countless teams to have contacted the Rockets and explored ways to acquire the $22.5 expiring contact of Tracy McGrady, who was cleared to leave the team and is training in Chicago.

The Rockets are seeking expiring contracts and a young star. There is no chance the Bulls trade Noah or Derrick Rose for McGrady. A deal of Miller, Jerome James and John Salmons would work.