Australia’s Andrew Bogut (left) is pumped to be playing his first NBA finals series.

Matthew Dellavedova is ready to step into the Cleveland Cavaliers’ starting line-up after the team’s star point guard Kyrie Irving was ruled out of the rest of the NBA Finals with a fractured kneecap.

Irving, dogged by knee tendonitis and other leg injuries throughout the playoffs, broke down late in Thursday’s 108-100 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first of the seven-game series.

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Irving will need surgery and will not play until next season.

“I’ll be prepared for whatever the team needs,” Dellavedova said before the team worked out at the Warriors’ Oracle Arena on Friday.

The key to Cleveland’s success in Sunday’s game two in Oakland will likely come down to how well Dellavedova guards Stephen Curry, the recently named NBA MVP and arguably the best shooter in NBA history.

Dellavedova says it will be a team effort.

“He’s a tough cover and just one person can’t stop him because he comes off a lot of screens,” Dellavedova said.

“He’s obviously the MVP for a reason.”

The only solace for the Cavaliers is Dellavedova has excelled in the starting line-up in the playoffs.

The point guard from Maryborough in country Victoria skyrocketed to fame when Irving was forced to miss games in the Cavaliers’ playoff series against the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks.

It was Dellavedova’s aggressive play that captured the attention of opposition players and basketball fans.

Cleveland coach David Blatt and team leader LeBron James have showered the 24-year-old with praise.

“Well, you saw he played terrifically,” Blatt, asked about the confidence he has in Dellavedova as a starter, said.

“He stepped in and did a great job, and the team believes in him.”

The Warriors and Cavaliers displayed different demeanours during team workouts on Friday.

Australian centre Andrew Bogut and his Warriors were relaxed, joking and held a team three-point contest.

Bogut, who not surprisingly bowed out of the three-point shootout early, was at his defensive best in game one, blocking James and jostling with Cavaliers’ big men Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson.

Mozgov hit Bogut with an elbow below his left eye.

“The body is fine, no dramas,” Bogut said.

“The eye didn’t close up so I’m happy about that.”

When the Cavaliers took to the court for their practice session they were focused and workmanlike, with James taking over one end of the court for a shooting session when he was scheduled to do interviews.

James said Dellavedova and the rest of the Cavaliers will step in.

“We’ve been in this position before,” James said.

“So next man up.”