DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Despite losing superstar point guard Derrick Rose for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau isn't about to let his team feel sorry for itself now.

"I think we all feel awful for him," Thibodeau said after Sunday's practice. "Derrick's not only a great player, he's a great teammate, he's a great person, but it's not a death sentence. It's not a death sentence for him, it's not a death sentence for our team. He's going to come back. He'll come back better than ever. It's just the way it is and we've got to deal with."

Rose injured his left knee 1:22 left in the fourth quarter of Saturday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals series. An MRI performed after the game revealed the torn ACL.

General manager Gar Forman said there was "absolutely no issue at all" with Thibodeau leaving Rose in with the lead.

"There's absolutely no issue there," Forman said. "It's a playoff game. They had cut a lead down to 12 and we're going to have our guys on the floor making sure that we win the basketball game, especially in that situation."

Forman said he was actually surprised such a controversy has developed regarding the decision.

"It never entered my mind," Forman said of a potential controversy. "I was actually surprised when I heard it. But it's absolutely no issue with us and I don't see where it would be with anybody. Again, you're in a playoff game where a lead has been cut by eight or 10 points. It's a key time of the year and you're trying to win the game, finish strong and win the game."