CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah said his right ankle is improving, but he will sit out against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

“I mean if I could play, I could play,” Noah said after the team’s shootaround. “But right now, my ankle is still bothering me. Yeah, I have to be smart.

“Yeah, it’s lingering, it’s lingering, but it’s the life we chose. And doing all the rehab and getting all the information, hopefully it won’t be too much longer.”

Noah originally sprained the ankle against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 2, and then sprained it again against the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 3. He played against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 6, but sat out Wednesday’s game against the Nets. He will miss his second consecutive game on Friday.

Noah was unsure whether he would be able to return to play against the Miami Heat on Sunday or the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. He described the injury as day to day.

"He's about the same, so we'll see where he is [Saturday]," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau recently said Noah was also working through a knee issue as well, but Noah said his knee was fine on Friday. Noah had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after last season.

“The knee feels good,” Noah said.

Noah is averaging 8.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17 games this season.