National Basketball Association

MVP Rose 'regrets’ playing with injury

Published Jan. 20, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose opened up Friday about his turf toe injury that will force him to miss a third straight game.

Rose, who is still wearing a walking boot, said his toe was improving but he was still forced to sit out the team's Friday morning shootaround at Quicken Loans Arena and will sit out Friday night's game at the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He suffered the injury Jan. 10 when Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Tolliver trod on his left foot.

Rose said he took some of the blame for the slow healing, saying he had a "little regret" at staying on court too long against the Celtics and the Raptors last weekend. Rose, last season's MVP, averaged 40 minutes in the games in Boston and Toronto, while leading the team's scoring.

"When this injury happened, I aggravated it and I played on it sooner. It was real bad," he told reporters Friday. "This is worse than my second season. That season, I just played through it but it wasn't that bad. Not being able to bend my toe in three years and somebody just forced their weight on my toe, it definitely hurt it."

The Bulls are taking a cautious approach with Rose, who is averaging 20.8 points and 8.7 assists. Rose hasn't played since last weekend against Toronto. Thibodeau said Rose has gotten ''better each day'' and he'll play again ''when he's ready to go.''

Even without their top player, the Bulls (13-3) blew out Phoenix 118-97 on Tuesday. C.J. Watson started for Rose and scored 23 points. Watson will also take Rose's spot against the Cavs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.