Whoops ... Noah could have played more vs. Nets

After Friday's double-overtime loss, the Bulls seemed to have their signals crossed regarding the minute count for center Joakim Noah.

Noah wasn't on the floor when Nets center Brook Lopez tipped in a missed shot, tying the score with 0.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He also didn't play much in the overtimes and coach Vinny Del Negro said later he didn't want Noah to exceed 35 minutes.

After the game, Bulls general manager Gar Forman said he consulted with vice president John Paxson, who was watching from home, and Del Negro did have the OK to play Noah in overtime.

"I wanted to put him in if there was 10 seconds to go, or the 3.6 seconds, but I hadn't got the authority yet to do that," Del Negro said Saturday in Toronto, according to espn.com. "And I wasn't able to play him extended minutes because of the 35 (minute) mandate.

"So there was some miscommunication there a little bit. Then when I got the OK to put him back in, I put him back. I wasn't going to play him 40, 45 minutes, or something like that, just because it was back-to-back games and Joakim's future and his health and everything is a big concern to everyone."

Noah was on a tight minute count when he returned March 20 from 10 games off with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Lately, though, Noah asked to have the restrictions removed.