Gibson dealing with plantar fascitis in left foot

Bulls forward Taj Gibson left the Berto Center shortly after Tuesday's practice ended to visit the doctor.

According to coach Vinny Del Negro, Gibson has been suffering from plantar fasciitis in his left foot most of the season. It has been tough to tell anything was wrong, since the No. 26 draft pick has been remarkably consistent during his rookie year, averaging 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds.

"He didn't practice today. He's going to see the doctor and get some therapy," Del Negro said. "He's feeling a little bit better, but plantar fasciitis is bothering him a little bit and he'll get some treatment on it.

"It's been going on most of the season. He just really irritated it the other night in the game. It's not a tear, but he's got some inflammation."

The Bulls are hoping this is a minor issue and Gibson will be back on the court Wednesday. He played 22 minutes in Monday's blowout win over Detroit.

"I'd like to get him some practice in (Wednesday) before we get up against Boston," Del Negro said. "We'll see how it goes."

Luc visits again: After sitting courtside at Monday's game, former Bulls center Luc Longley visited the Berto Center on Tuesday.

The 7-foot native of Australia hung out on the court while ex-teammate Randy Brown worked with James Johnson and Jannero Pargo after practice. Current Bulls center Joakim Noah was on the other side of the gym conducting an interview.

"It was cool to see him at the game yesterday," Noah said of Longley. "He looks like a cool dude. But growing up, I really didn't like that guy. I was a Knicks fan, so I'll always remember those little tip-ins and things like that. I didn't like him."

Noah was then told one of Longley's memorable moments with the Bulls was when he injured his shoulder in a bodysurfing accident while the team was on a road trip in Los Angeles.

"Really?" Noah said, his face lighting up. "That's really cool. I like that story a lot."

Deng injury improves: When forward Luol Deng scored 27 points against Detroit on Monday, it was his first 20-point performance since Dec. 22, a span of eight games. Is this a sign the broken bone in his left thumb is starting to heal?

"My thumb has been getting better the last few games," he said. "As long as I don't get hit on it with the ball or anything, it's going to heal a lot faster. The last three or four games, it's been fine."

That doesn't mean the thumb is no longer an issue.

"I feel pain," he said. "There are certain passes where I feel it, especially cutting and moving without the ball. If you play basketball, you use all your fingers and thumbs."

Celtics short-handed: When the Bulls play in Boston on Thursday, Kevin Garnett (knee) and Rasheed Wallace (foot) are expected to be sidelined with injuries. Garnett hasn't played since Dec. 28. Without those two, the Celtics lost at home to Atlanta on Monday.