GREENBURGH, NY -- Joakim Noah is expected to make his New York Knicks debut Saturday against the Boston Celtics after missing the first three preseason games due to a hamstring injury.
Noah scrimmaged on Friday after missing practice Thursday with a minor ankle injury. Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said afterward that he expects Noah on the court Saturday, provided he makes it through the Knicks' morning shootaround at full health.
Noah, a native New Yorker, said he's looking forward to playing a home game at Madison Square Garden.
"It's been a hectic month, just being in and out with some knickknack injuries," Noah said. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."
Noah signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Knicks over the summer. The club hopes that the 32-year-old can anchor the Knicks' defense, which ranked 18th in points allowed per 100 possessions last season.
Noah was limited to 29 games in 2015-16 due to shoulder ailments. He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in January and has said that his shoulder is fully healthy entering the season. Noah has been frustrated with missing games and practices during the preseason due to a nagging hamstring injury.
"The truth is I want to be out there every play. The more we're on the court together -- whether it's practice or when it counts or (it's) preseason -- the better we're going to be," he said Friday. "This is a new group. It's important that we spend as much time together. The more we're together, the better we're going to be."
Noah, the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year, is projected to start at center for the Knicks, playing alongside Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis on the front line.
