Coach Brian Goorjian claimed full responsibility after the Australian men's basketball team let what would have been one of the greatest triumphs in its history slip through its fingers at the world championships in Japan.

Australia led by three points with 9.3 seconds remaining against basketball superpower Greece at Hamamatsu Arena, but the European champions hit back-to-back three-pointers to tear the heart out of the Boomers with a 72-69 triumph.

No-one else in green and gold placed the responsibility squarely on Goorjian, but the Boomers' head coach claimed the blame.

Assistant coach Rob Beveridge picked up a technical foul with just under four minutes left which gave Greece the lead and momentum.

Goorjian then had a time-out up his sleeve which he didn't use when the Greeks hit their second-last three-pointer to tie the scores.

A subsequent turnover allowed the favourites another open look and they drained it for a sensational win.

"My team played outstanding tonight and I'm very, very proud of them," Goorjian said.

"To be truthful with you, I hold myself personally responsible for the defeat.

"We had a time-out at the end of the game and we couldn't get the ball in.

"After they scored the three to tie it, we should've had a timeout registered at the bench and our bench also got a technical foul in the waning minutes of a tight game.

"The execution down the stretch falls in my lap and I'm very disappointed in myself."

A "devastated" Beveridge also admitted he felt "partly responsible" for the defeat, but Boomers stand-out Andrew Bogut said only the group collectively could wear the gut-wrenching loss.

Bogut got his hands on plenty of possession to finish with 18 points and seven boards, helping Australia build a five-point lead with 33.7 seconds left.

But Greece rallied to deny Australia a victory which would've ranked comfortably alongside its wins over Croatia in the Atlanta Olympics and Russia at the following Olympics in Sydney in recent Boomers' history.

Considering the comparative inexperience of this Australian group, it would probably have surpassed those two.

"I don't think it was (Goorjian's) fault, I don't think it was anybody's fault, just our own as a group," Bogut told AAP.

"We're not used to having a team keep coming at us.

"At the end we need to look at ourselves and hopefully tomorrow get Lithuania if we can."

In the tightest group in the tournament, Australia likely needs to win both remaining games against Lithuania tomorrow and Qatar on Thursday to reach the knock-out stages.

Greek coach Panayotis Yannakis agreed mistakes down the stretch proved crucial.

"My players wanted it and believed and they tried until the last second," he said.

"We have a lot of respect for Australian basketball and the team that is here.

"(But) basketball is a game of mistakes, the team that made the most lost, but I hope Australia qualify because they play excellent games."

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