National Basketball Association

Bogut scores 22 in return

Published Dec. 1, 2009 7:50 a.m. ET

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Bogut was supposed to be out up to four weeks with a lower left leg strain. Instead, the former No. 1 draft pick only missed six games and proved to be the spark Milwaukee badly needed to snap a four-game losing streak. Bogut was slated to play about 20 minutes, but ended up with 35.

"I'll be sore tomorrow," Bogut said. "I'll get in the ice bath, do my recovery and I should be all right."

The Bulls overcame an 18-point second-half deficit in the teams' first meeting on Nov. 3 and won 83-81. In the rematch, Chicago rallied from a 14-point hole in the third quarter to take a two-point lead in the closing minutes.

But Brad Miller missed a shot at the buzzer that would've tied it after Derrick Rose, who had 17 of his 19 points in the second half, decided to pass up the final opportunity in Chicago's fifth straight loss.

"They stole one from us in Chicago and they had a chance to get back in it, too," said Bogut, who fouled Miller in the first game for the game's final point. "He missed it tonight, so the basketball gods looked out for us."

Carlos Delfino and rookie Brandon Jennings added 15 points each, but Milwaukee failed to protect a big second-half lead for the second straight game.

Chicago took an 89-87 lead with just over three minutes to play before Jennings, Bogut and Charlie Bell, who finished with 16 points, all had layups to give the Bucks a 93-89 lead.

Bogut then blocked two shots, swatting Luol Deng on a dunk and turning aside a layup attempt by Rose. John Salmons missed a 3 pointer that would've tied it with 27 seconds left and a free throw by Delfino gave Milwaukee a 96-92 lead.

"I wasn't expecting all that, but he came back strong," Jennings said. "It felt good to have him out there. He's a big help, as you can see, with the inside presence, it just opens up the game for everybody else."