MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, November 30, 2009 (AFP) - Australian center Andrew Bogut made a triumphant NBA return from a left leg injury, scoring 22 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to power the Milwaukee Bucks past Chicago 99-97 Monday.

The Bucks snapped a four-game losing skid without Bogut, improving to 9-7 by inflicting a fifth loss in a row on the Bulls, 6-9.

Bogut was kicked in the leg on November 18 in a victory over winless New Jersey and was originally expected to miss between two and four weeks.

But the Aussie said he was "pretty much" without pain so Bucks coach Scott Skiles put him back into the starting rotation against the Bulls.

Bogut, who had two key blocked shots in the final minutes, had averaged 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds a game before the injury.

Chicago's Brad Miller missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game to over-time.

Britain's Luol Deng 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Bulls, who also had 16 points and 17 rebounds from France's Joakim Noah.

John Salmons scored 23 points and Derrick Rose added 19 for Chicago.