After a 68-game absence, Markelle Fultz finally made his long-awaited return for the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.In his first outing since October, the number one pick checked into the game in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets and received a rousing reception from the 20,000 Sixers fans inside Wells Fargo Center.The Philly faithful have been waiting patiently for Fultz to play again and they finally got their wish.What they saw from the rookie was encouraging. He contributed 10 points, four rebounds and eight assists off the bench in a 123-104 victory for the 76ers.This proved to be a historic stat line for the 19-year-old as he joined Kevin Porter of the Washington Bullets as the only two players in NBA history to post at least 10 points and eight assists in 15 minutes or fewer on the floor, according to NBA.com/stats.

All the attention surrounding Fultz during his rehab was on his jump shot as videos continued to circulate on social media on a regular basis showing how his shooting form was constantly changing.

This is an area he struggled with at the start of the season due to his shoulder injury and everybody was keen to see how his shot would look in his return.

It's fair to say it had mixed results as he began by shooting an airball but was also able to knock down a couple of nice jumpers as the game wore on.

He ended on 5-of-13 shooting but he also displayed the best parts of his game as he showed off his speed and put pressure on the defence by frequently driving to the basket.

His playmaking skills were also evident as he got teammates involved and added another dimension to the Sixers offence.

"He looked confident," coach Brett Brown said, per ESPN. "I thought it was a real, sort of bold, gutsy effort that he made given where he was now where he is."

The Washington product has had the backing of his teammates and the entire organisation throughout his injury struggles and all the media scrutiny around him.

"I love these guys. They're my guys," Fultz said. "I'm just trying to be the best teammate I can possibly be."

The point guard could prove to be an X-factor for Philadelphia in the playoffs as he'll provide a creative spark for the second unit but they haven't placed any expectations on him.

"That is a great unknown," team president Bryan Colangelo said. "I'm not sure I have the answer. We will have to ... certainly not judge tonight as the sole case of what to expect going forward."

Fultz's return just adds to the positivity surrounding the Sixers at present after they secured their first playoff berth since 2012.

They are also on a nine-game winning streak and are seeking to reach 50 wins by the end of the campaign.

At 43-30, they'll need seven more victories from their final nine games to do so, starting with a home clash against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

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