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Bulls' Butler on struggling Noah: 'He got his swag back'

Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

For all their technical tinkering, the Chicago Bulls' problems can be traced back to one thing: The muting of Joakim Noah's boisterous, bellowing voice.

Noah, who's long been the Bulls' emotional leader, has been uncharacteristically quiet to start the season - likely because his offensive struggles have rendered him nearly unplayable.

But the Noah of old, that all-out, hand-clapping, face-scrunching sparkplug, made his emphatic return in Monday's defiant victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

He finished with a vintage line of eight points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, and was a team-best plus-10 in the Bulls' 92-89 victory.

"He got his swag back," Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler said of Noah, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. "You can see the way he's walking around here, back there in the hot tub/cold tub. He's smiling. His spirits are high. That's the Jo that we need each and every day."

The swag, as Butler puts it, is essential. It's something intangible, but that maniacal energy is undeniably important to how the Bulls operate. And while shooting 36.5 percent from the field is untenable, it's a problem that won't be solved by simply benching him. Noah is too important to the cause to be left behind.

Noah, who's averaging a career-low 20.6 minutes per game this season, admitted he's not particularly happy with his reduced role.

"I want to play the whole game, you know?" Noah said. "I never want to come out. But I understand this is my role now and I just have to accept it and do the best that I can with what I have."

Of course, it's also in Noah's best interests to improve. He's an impending free agent next summer, and coming off the bench as an injury-prone 30-year-old isn't exactly conducive to his earning potential.

For the time being, Noah's just trying to find peace. He may not be the player he once was, but he can at least make the best of his situation.

"It's been very frustrating at times, but I'm blessed," Noah said. "This is an unbelievable opportunity being able to play for the Chicago Bulls. So yeah, of course - I'm a passionate player. I get frustrated. But at the end of the day, I know that it's a blessing to play for this franchise."

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