Fansided

The process worked: Markelle Fultz will be 76ers secret weapon in playoffs

By Patrick Schmidt

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 26: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball up the court with Joel Embiid #21 trailing him in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Wells Fargo Center on March 26, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 26: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball up the court with Joel Embiid #21 trailing him in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Wells Fargo Center on March 26, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Markelle Fultz returned to the lineup for the first time since October and looked like he’ll be able to give the Sixers a nice boost in the playoffs.

Markelle Fultz has been out with a shoulder injury since October and over those 62 games he missed, I was convincing myself he was doomed to be a bust. The shoulder soreness was very concerning as he couldn’t even lift his arm to get in a proper shooting motion. But a funny thing happened over those months when Fultz was on the bench, he got stronger, he got healthy and when he returned to the Sixers lineup on Monday night, he looked like the player the team envisioned when they traded up to take him with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Fultz finished with 10 points and eight assists in only 14 minutes in Philadelphia’s 123-104 win over the Denver Nuggets. No, this isn’t the stat line that Hall of Fame busts are made of, but this is a great first step as Fultz begins to knock off the rust and get acclimated in the rotation and flow of the game.

There may have been some early nerves for the former Washington standout to put on a show and impress the home crowd after such a long absence. That’s to be expected. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as he had three of his shots blocked and had an ugly airball. It’s best to get those moments and sequences out of the way now because Fultz can be a dangerous weapon off the bench when the playoffs begin.

The Sixers are in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference and would play the Pacers if the season ended today. Imagine Fultz coming off the bench and playing a reserve role to Ben Simmons to give the team some scoring and play-making ability off the bench. That little extra could be the difference for a team that could surprise some people in the postseason. No, I’m not envisioning Fultz being the x-factor that sees them upset the Raptors, Celtics or LeBron James and the Cavaliers, but with Fultz, I think they can definitely make the second round.

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For a team that has had to trust the process for years, it looks like their faith is finally beginning to pay dividends. It can’t come at a better time either for a group of fans that have grown tired of waiting.

The Sixers trusted the process when it came to getting Fultz ready for a return. That process could lead to a postseason series win later this spring.