Sixers point guard and 2017 first overall pick Markelle Fultz will be available off the bench tonight, head coach Brett Brown told reporters, including Gina Mizell of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
Fultz, 19, is available to play for the first time since October 23, missing 68 games in that span.
“He’s put in a lot of work,” Brown said, per Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter link). “I’m thrilled to be able to offer him the opportunity to come join his teammates at this exciting time of the year.”
Fultz will not have a specific minutes restriction, but the team will monitor his play and the situation of the game, tweets ESPN’s Chris Haynes.
Fultz’s first NBA season has been hampered by injury and shrouded in mystery. Just four games into the year, the No. 1 pick was sidelined with a scapular muscle imbalance in his right shoulder. The ailment forced Fultz to alter his shooting motion, which was causing him discomfort.
In those four games, Fultz posted averages of 6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.8 APG.
At the time of injury, Fultz was shooting just 33% from the field and did not attempt a single three-pointer. That was out of character for the young guard, whose field goal percentage (47.6%) and three-point shooting (41.3%) was solid as a freshman at Washington.
The Sixers issued a statement in early December that Fultz’s shoulder injury had healed and he was not in pain. However, confusion about his status lingered as he did not play and multiple videos of him shooting showed a hitch in his release.
Fultz will back up Rookie of the Year candidate Ben Simmons at point guard.
I watch the games anyway, but now I’m HOPING for garbage time!
Imagine if they took Jayson Tatum instead…
Probably wouldn’t have paid Covington, would still be looking for a 2-guard off-the dribble guy opposite Simmons.
didn’t need him
Imagine if they took Lonzo Ball instead. Probably wouldn’t even be in the playoff picture.
Not gonna like, watching pre-game, his FT shot looks ugly as heck… like a shot-put. Shoot, don’t push the ball dude. Pushing it like he’s a freaking 8 year old.
Agreed. Michael Barkann is way too hyped on this pregame.
If the Sixers have Markelle Fultz available for the playoffs, and Cleveland and Boston are having troubles, then Philly would have Embiid at PF/C, Simmons at PG, Redick at the 3 shooting perimeter, Covington at the Small Forward shooting 3s, and Fultz as the penetrating 2 guard.
Because of the double teams routinely applied to Simmons and Embiid, Fultz, Redick and Covington would have an awful lot of open looks.
This suddenly creates a pretty good team. One that could defeat Toronto, Cleveland or Boston and win the East and go to the NBA Finals.
They were looking very good in the second half already.
The Sixers are already playing with house money this year. They have nothing to lose this playoff run, because no one expects anything of them.
That makes them the most dangerous team in the tournaments.
On the flip side, The West can only send one team–so whoever they send, it’s going to be a binary final.
If the Sixers can get to the finals, they have a shot.
Art Kyriazis