Joakim Noah sits against Nuggets

— -- DENVER -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah did not play Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets because of left knee and left eye injuries.

"He's out," coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. "Knee effusion and eye abrasion."

Noah's left knee has been giving him problems since training camp after having arthroscopic surgery right after last season ended. Noah got poked in his left eye during the third quarter of Monday night's win over the Utah Jazz, but returned to the game.

Kirk Hinrich did play after missing the last two games because of bruised ribs suffered in last Thursday night's loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol played on the second night of a back-to-back after returning to the lineup Monday night. Thibodeau said power forward Taj Gibson is still "day-to-day" and remains in Chicago receiving treatment for a sprained left ankle suffered in Friday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.