MINNEAPOLIS — Derrick Rose and Kevin Love have played against each other since their days in AAU ball, worked out together in a steamy Los Angeles gym over the summer, and became fast friends as they’ve emerged as the faces of their respective franchises.

Individually, they are on similar paths. In their third seasons, both have had career years, with Rose emerging as a front-runner for the MVP award in Chicago and Love leading the league in rebounding in Minnesota.

Their professional paths are getting further apart by the day, and Love knows it.

Rose had 23 points and 10 assists in three quarters and the Bulls blew out the Timberwolves 108-91 on Wednesday night.

Carlos Boozer had 24 points and 14 rebounds and the Bulls recorded 31 assists on 41 field goals to stay 2½ games ahead of Boston and Miami in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

“They’re all on the same page, everybody,” Love said. “When they break from the huddle, everybody’s in. You can tell everybody has the utmost respect for each other and they’re all in it to win it. In that regard, I envy that. I salivate for that. I like that a lot.”

Love had 16 points and nine rebounds, but was limited to 27 minutes in his first game back from a strained left groin. The Timberwolves (17-58) lost their eighth straight game and have sunk to the bottom of the West.

The Bulls, who were missing starting center Joakim Noah because of a sprained right ankle, bounced back in a big way after a humbling loss to Philadelphia.