Outscoring the Denver Nuggets 34-15 in the third quarter, the Philadelphia 76ers moved a step closer to locking down home-court advantage for the first round of the NBA playoffs with a 123-104 win Monday night at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Seven players scored in double figures for the 76ers, who remain the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of the Indiana Pacers. Dario Saric led the way with 20 points, while Joel Embiid contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds despite foul trouble.

JJ Redick added 19 points, while Robert Covington scored 18. Reserves Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli each scored 11. Rookie Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in last June's NBA draft, returned from a five-month absence due to a shoulder injury and finished with 10 points and eight assists in 14 minutes.

"I was just focused on helping the team get the win, really," Fultz told NBC Sports on the court after the game. "I wasn't worried about how I played or what I did. I just wanted to go out there and keep the same energy they had going on. I think I did a pretty good job."

Head coach Brett Brown told reporters Saturday that he thought Fultz was "quite close" to a return, adding that the 19-year-old would determine when he's ready to play. Asked why he decided to make his return Monday, Fultz said "I just felt good."

"I felt like I had a little pop back, I had a little confidence," he said. "I really missed playing with these guys, they're great teammates and really want to help them get ready for the playoffs."

The Philadelphia crowd gave Fultz a standing ovation when he took the floor for his first action in 69 games.

"I keep telling him that I'm really happy that he got the chance to kind of experience that today, and the fans showed him a lot of love," Embiid said afterward. "That's just how this city is, they gonna show you a lot of love and we're going to take care of business for them. That's a big win for us, and he played a big role in it."

Will Barton fired in five 3-pointers and scored 25 points for Denver, which fell two games out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference with eight games left. Jamal Murray added 17, while Paul Millsap finished with 16 points and nine rebounds. Nikola Jokic hit for 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Trailing 59-51 at the half, Philadelphia flipped the script in the third quarter. It needed just over three minutes to take the lead for good, with Redick making two free throws for a 66-64 edge at the 8:49 mark. Saric capped a 20-5 run to start the period with a 3-point play and a driving layup.

Fultz finished the period by cutting to the basket for a layup that gave the 76ers an 85-74 advantage going to the fourth quarter. A Ben Simmons layup increased the margin to 96-79 with 8:53 left in the game, and Philadelphia cruised to the finish line.

Barton scored 20 points in the first half for the Nuggets as they established an eight-point lead at the break. He bagged 12 points in the first 7:51, capping his outburst with a 3-pointer that gave Denver a 20-15 edge.

The Nuggets had momentum going into the half, getting a pull-up from Murray with 4.9 seconds left to take an eight-point advantage to the locker room. But it didn't last.

--Field Level Media