Derrick Rose: 'Early exit just a precaution'

Derrick Rose has insisted that his first-quarter exit from the Chicago Bulls' defeat to the Denver Nuggets was just a precaution.

The point guard had missed four games with the injury before returning for Monday's win over the Utah Jazz, but lasted just 10 minutes in the 114-109 loss to the Nuggets last night.

The 26-year-old told ESPN: "It wasn't nothing like I'm limping or I pulled it or anything, it wasn't any of that. It was just that I wasn't moving the way I wanted to while I was on the floor.

"So why push through it when I wasn't able to affect the game the way I wanted to? I came in here and talked to [Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau] and we both agreed on just sitting out.

"It's frustrating. But you can't let it get me down. I know that at the end [the setbacks] are just going to be minor but it's a long season and we just got to keep going and I know the team, they're not worried about me. I should be good."

Rose missed most of last season with a meniscus tear, and sat out the year before while recovering from an ACL tear.