Knicks' Julius Randle: 'At First I Didn't Think I Could' Return from Injury vs. Cavs

Julius Randle's return to the court on Saturday night couldn't have gone any better as the New York Knicks downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-97 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series matchup at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Randle finished the game with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in 34 minutes. While speaking with reporters after the win, the 28-year-old admitted he wasn't sure if he'd be able to return from his ankle injury for Game 1.

"Every day I got significantly better. I felt like by the time Saturday got here [I would] be fine," Randle said, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "At first I didn't think I could do it."

Randle added that he was "tired as hell" during the game, which was to be expected as it was his first contest since a March 29 win over the Miami Heat. He missed New York's final five regular-season games while recovering from the ankle ailment, and the Knicks went 3-2 in his absence.

While Jalen Brunson received much of the attention following Saturday's win after scoring 27 points, 21 of which came in the second half, Randle's impact in this New York lineup is undeniable, and he'll continue to be a key factor for the franchise moving forward.

The Knicks and Cavs will meet for Game 2 Tuesday night before the series shifts back to Madison Square Garden on Friday.