Derrick Rose and Ricky Rubio shared a moment before the Chicago Bulls took on the Minnesota Timberwolves in preseason action.

Rubio told the Chicago Tribune he spoke with Rose prior to the Bullsâ€™ 92-81 win. And while both teams work to find an identity on the courtâ€”Minnesotaâ€™s effort is hindered by Kevin Loveâ€™s broken handâ€”the most interesting news of the day came off the court.

Rubio and Rose are expected to miss much of 2012-13 with anterior cruciate ligament injuries, but, in a surprising development, the Chicago Tribune revealed Rose is ahead of Rubio in his road to recovery.

Neither player has started to make cuts, but Rose is shooting jumpers and Rubio remains on set shots.

Rose suffered his left ACL injury on April 28 in Game 1 of the Bullsâ€™ first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers. By then, Rubio had already been out for almost two months, having gone down with a left ACL injury in a March 9 contest against the Los Angeles Lakers.

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"Nobody had the same injury," Rubio said. "I mean, a little more meniscus or two ligaments or just one. Every player is different. Every recovery is different."

Regardless of where they are in their recoveries, both Rose and Rubio have a long road back. The possibility of Rose missing the entire 2012-13 season has been floated, while Wolves coach Rick Adelman told the Chicago Tribune that Rubio will be eased in slowly when he returns.

There is no competition between the two point guards, however, and Rubio offered Rose well wishes.

"It's a tough injury," Rubio said. "You are like six, eight, nine months without playing your favorite sport. Sometimes it's just playing basketball where you forget about everything and just enjoy it. I just wish him a healthy recovery."