Sore foot keeps Noah on bench

Joakim Noah walked around the practice facility on Wednesday morning with a much less noticeable limp, but the plantar fasciitis in his right foot was troublesome enough to keep him out against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

Shooting guard Marco Belinelli [abdominal strain], as well as Rip Hamilton [back] also missed the game, but the news was good on Noah and Belinelli, with both expected back Saturday against Dallas.

“It is better, but he’s not quite there,’’ coach Tom Thibodeau said of Noah. “I just want to be smart about it.’’

Noah missed his third game in a row with the foot problem, and the sixth game overall this season. The Bulls have been trying to find a way to keep the foot from flaring up, and according to Noah, it’s still a work in progress.

It was the second game Belinelli has missed, but he’s been dealing with the injury since mid-March.

Saying goodbye

The Bulls had a moment of silence for former center Tom Boerwinkle before the game.

“We were all heartbroken this morning to learn of the passing of Tom Boerwinkle,’’ Steve Schanwald, Executive Vice President-Business Operations, said in a statement. “In addition to being one of the Bulls all-time great players, Tom was one of the kindest men you would ever want to meet with the gentlest of souls.’’

Selected by Chicago with the fourth overall pick in the 1968 NBA draft, Boerwinkle spent his entire career in Chicago.