Noah improves offense

Midway through the third quarter Friday against the Washington Wizards, Bulls center Joakim Noah caught a pass about 15 feet from the basket and immediately launched one of his infamous sideways-spinning jumpers.

As soon as the ball left his hand, a Bulls fan sitting in the first couple of rows behind the basket yelled, ''Noooo!!!''

The ball, though, swished through the hoop and created an embarrassing moment for that fan, who had assumed a Noah jumper was akin to a turnover.

That reaction was understandable based on Noah's first two NBA seasons, but he worked all summer to improve his offensive game and seemed like a different player in the preseason.

Playing in all eight games, Noah averaged 10.3 points and 8.5 rebounds in 26.9 minutes. He capped the preseason with a 13-point, 16-rebound effort against the Wizards.

The numbers tell a story, but the eye test provides the most convincing argument. He made a few nice post moves in some of the games and had a play against the Wizards in which he gathered a loose ball about 20 feet from the basket and made a move off the dribble all the way in for a layup.