Bulls guard Zach LaVine flashes in the overtime win against the Rockets

Zach LaVine could have kicked the door in, announcing loudly, “I’m back!”

Instead, the Bulls guard has chosen to tap on it, waiting patiently for it to open.

It continued to do just that on Wednesday, with LaVine playing his third game – his first as a starter – since being sidelined for more than a month with a sore right foot, and showing more signs of getting back to “normal Zach,” but also at the same time not forcing the issue until it needed to be forced.

LaVine finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds, as the Bulls (18-21) beat the visiting Rockets in overtime 124-119 at the United Center.

That included six huge points from LaVine in that extra session.

“Aggressive, decisive,” teammate Coby White said of LaVine’s performance. “When he’s aggressive first, that’s how we want him to be.

“Big-time players make big-time plays.”

It was LaVine’s best game since sitting for weeks in street clothes, and his most aggressive, with the two-time All-Star attacking the paint as well as stretching the floor with the three-pointer, hitting four of them.

What he stayed away from was again forcing up bad shots just to get his numbers or try and search out his rhythm.

“It speaks more to who Zach is as a person and a teammate that he’s coming in there trying to figure out how he can help the team and the group,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I think for him wanting to fit in, wanting to help the group, he’s trying to figure that out. Just coming in and saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to be aggressive.’ He’s trying to figure out, ‘How can I be aggressive and still help the team?’ I think he’ll figure that out as time goes on.”

So does LaVine.

Admittedly, sitting and watching from the sidelines did open his eyes to several observations, but also put the season in perspective for him so far.

“We’re competing,” LaVine said after the latest win. “Obviously trying to overcome some bumps and hurdles, trying to get my rhythm back, but we’re competing and sharing the ball.

“My offense will come. Just keep building it up the next couple games and I’ll be where I want to be.”

His showing against the Rockets was a big step in that direction.

“Just got to read the game,” LaVine said. “I think a lot of stuff at the beginning of the year was just taken out of context where the game isn’t going well, guys like me, DeMar (DeRozan) and Vooch (Nikola Vucevic) are able to create offense. Now the offense looks good and we don’t want to over-pass, and still make smart decisions. I’ll find my rhythm.”

The nice thing is LaVine has a safety net until he does find consistency, and White is there for it.

White and his 30 points were again welcomed and timely, as the point guard hit six three-pointers, with each one feeling like a back-breaker for the Rockets (18-18).

Down one in the second quarter, White hit the step-back three. A few minutes later with the Bulls up two, White ran into another three pointer. Then there was a clutch three in the overtime.

The Rockets did make their one last push in the final quarter when Alperen Sengun used the Vucevic miss to tie the game with a layup.

That left the Bulls 23.2 seconds to right the wrong of the final few minutes, and that also meant DeRozan time. A finishing act that didn’t end well, with DeRozan missing, and the game going into overtime.

That’s when LaVine & Co. took over, however, finishing off the visiting team in impressive fashion.

“The vibe is great,” White said of the win. “It’s been great. We’re in this together, win or lose.”