julius-randle-new-york-knicks-usatsi.jpg
USATSI

The New York Knicks announced that Julius Randle will start in Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. The All-Star forward has been sidelined since March 29 with a sprained ankle, and was originally listed as questionable for the game. Randle's plan was to test his left ankle ahead of the game on Saturday before making a decision about his status, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and it sounds as though he feels good enough to make his return.

Randle tweaked his ankle on March 29 against the Miami Heat. He landed on Bam Adebayo's foot after going up for a rebound and exited the game in the second quarter. Here's how the injury occurred:

Having Randle available for Game 1 is a huge boost for the Knicks as they prepare to take on the Cavaliers. His production is irreplaceable for New York, as he's averaging a career-high 25.1 points on 58.1% true shooting this season, in addition to 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists. But it's not just the offense that makes Randle valuable in this matchup. With the Cavaliers employing two giants in the frontcourt in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, having Randle to contend with that size will help New York in trying to contain those two.

With Randle being out for the past two and a half weeks, there will likely be some rust he'll have to knock off as he tries to play himself back into game shape. While having him out there is better than the alternative, the Knicks may want to be cautious with his return so that Randle doesn't worsen the injury. 

We'll have to see what kind of minutes Randle plays in his return, but this is obviously great news for the Knicks as they try to steal a game from the Cavaliers on the road.