Ban over, but Noah inactive

Finally, the wait ended for Joakim Noah. Finally, the 20-game ban handed down to the Knicks center for his use of an illegal supplement ended. Eight games last season, 12 this season. The time was served.

So fans who awaited him went to Monday’s 104-101 loss to the Cavs and saw him … sit.

Noah was inactive as coach Jeff Hornacek said the plan was to “work him in back slowly.”

And despite the Knicks now with a 7-6 record after giving up a 23-point lead to the Cavs, no one really wanted to mess with a good thing.

“That kind of goes into the thought process,” Hornacek said. “He understands the team is playing pretty well right now and to kind of change up the chemistry — not that that screws up chemistry — but having different guys on the injured list could change things. So, right now, we’re just staying the way we are and we’ll just see how things go moving forward.”

Plus it puts off for another game what to do with the logjam at center. The Knicks have been starting Enes Kanter with Kyle O’Quinn off the bench while trying to shoehorn in Willy Hernangomez.

“It impacts not just me but everybody. Joakim is coming from a suspension and he has to keep working hard and as the coach said, earn his minutes,” Hernangomez said. “I’m fighting for my minutes and he has to do the same. Right now we have too many big guys.” So what’s one more? Hornacek stated Noah has been voted a defensive captain by teammates to “step up and speak. We want Jo to be involved even if he’s inactive. He’s behind the bench now so he can continue the talk defensively with the guys.”

Hornacek sees a role beyond talk. Noah has been practicing with the team so he’s not that far behind while his conditioning has stayed at necessary levels.

“If things weren’t going as well maybe the consideration is a little bit different. But Jo does great things for us. Defensively he’s there. We’re trying to stress defense. He runs the plays well,” Hornacek said.

“He’s been great. He’s been around the league a while. He’s trying to help the young guys. He’s at a point in his career when you get older that it’s not only you’re focused on playing, it’s also about helping the young guys.”

And his time will come. Slowly.