MIAMI -- Doc Rivers doesn't sound too concerned about his old buddy Tom Thibodeau.

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Barry Chin/Getty ImagesTom Thibodeau spent three years on Doc Rivers' staff before getting the Bulls job.

The Celtics’ head coach smiled broadly when the subject of his friend and former assistant came up after his team's film session Tuesday afternoon. Despite the Bulls’ surprising first-round exit and despite the fact that Derrick Rose, the Bulls' best player went down with a terrible knee injury in Game 1 of the postseason, Rivers said that Thibodeau is doing just fine.

"He's holding up great," Rivers told ESPNChicago.com. "We talk a lot so he's holding up. He still coaches. He's coaching me now. No, but we talk a lot. It's funny, we talk during every series and now since he doesn't have anything to do I think he's watching all our games now. Thibs is always around, not too far away from basketball."

Rivers, who has always spoken highly of his relationship with Thibodeau, says the pair have been communicating throughout the postseason.

"We talk, we text," Rivers said. "We always have done that and always will."

Rivers will continue to be a sounding board for Thibodeau for many reasons, but especially over the next few months considering Rivers actually had the same kind of knee injury that Rose suffered.

"I've dealt with the same injury," Rivers said. "So fortunately in my day it's a little different. [Rose will] be fine."

Rivers said he has not spoken to the former MVP yet, but plans to do so during the summer.

"I sent something through Thibs," Rivers said. "But I will in due time once this is all over."

Having gone through the same injury and the same kind of rehab that Rose will endure, Rivers is convinced that Thibodeau's prized pupil will be just fine.

"He'll be 100 percent," Rivers said of Rose. "He'll be fine. He may take til December or whatever but when he comes back he'll probably take a month or so just so he can trust it. You're healthy, right? When you do the surgery, actually. Just the rehab part and the trust. The trust will take a little bit, but he'll be fine."