DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said Thursday he still doesn't have a return date in mind, despite the fact less than a month remains in the regular season.

"It could be tomorrow and I feel like I could play the next game," said Rose, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during the playoffs last year. "Nobody knows but God."

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose was most likely out for Thursday night's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Rose said in a February interview with USA Today that he was in the "high 80s" as far as being back to 100 percent healthy, but he did not want to put a percentage on his health after Thursday's shootaround.

"I really don't know right now," Rose said. "I don't want to place no percentage on it, but I just know that I'm close and I'm taking every day serious and just becoming a professional."

Rose, 24, reiterated that he had no date in mind after which he would consider it too late to come back this season. He tore his left ACL on April 28 and underwent surgery on May 12.

"Not at all," he said. "I feel like when I'm ready to come back I'll be ready no matter what it is. ... Whenever I'm ready, I'm going to be out there."

Rose said that he can feel the explosion coming back into his game.

"It's coming," he said. "I'm not panicking or anything. If anything, I think I'm going to be a better player.