Noah has strange encounter with Denver legend

Life is usually plenty interesting for Joakim Noah. After Tuesday's practice at the Berto Center, he tacked on a story about a celebrity encounter in the hotel steam room during the circus road trip.

The Bulls spent Thanksgiving Day in Denver, did not practice and held a team dinner at John Elway's restaurant.

Asked how the dinner went and whether Elway stopped by, Noah mentioned a very different meeting with the legendary Broncos quarterback.

“It's weird you mention that,” Noah said. “I was in the steam room at the hotel by myself, just focusing and enjoying the day off, Thanksgiving, and he was there. He just came in.

“I don't know too many football players, but I know him. It's kind of weird. True story. I actually didn't say anything. It was kind of weird moment, kind of awkward.”

Was this before or after eating at his restaurant?

“It was after. I was going to say something, but I thought maybe he just wants to spend some time alone. It was just me and him in there.”

Gibson puts feet on floor:

Following a one-day absence, forward Taj Gibson returned to practice Tuesday. He has been battling a foot injury ever since a Nov. 21 practice in Los Angeles and missed one game on the road trip.

He said a tendon running up the side of his right ankle has been sore, but he thinks he will be able to play through it.

“The doctors said I'm not in danger of hurting myself any further,” Gibson said. “They just told me a lot of ice and a lot of treatment, so that's what I've been doing. Basically when you try to push off or run hard, it throbs sometimes. It's been getting better.”

Throughout his rookie season, Gibson suffered from plantar fasciitis but never missed a game. He mentioned that it's something he still needs to take care of.

“It's up and down,” he said. “I've been on top of it, just keeping my feet in the ice tub, which I hate, but it's been helping me.”

Boozer on Rose:

Carlos Boozer hasn't played in a game yet with Derrick Rose, but is plenty impressed with his new teammate.

“I knew he was really good, but then you see him every day in practice, you see him in games the kid has a heart of a champion. He makes play after play after play,” Boozer said.

“He had a play in Sacramento, he came down to the paint, crossed over Tyreke Evans. It was like one of those, ‘Did you just see that?' He makes a lot of moves like that during the games. He has a lot of up and unders, he had a great dunk against the Knicks. I could name 12 plays like that off the top of my head. He's something special.”