Australia has earned itself a showdown with the latest incarnation of the United States 'Dream Team' in the knockout round of the men's basketball world championships in Japan.

Australia strolled past Qatar 93-46 on Thursday to finish the group stages with a 2-3 record, while Lithuania ensured the Boomers' passage into the second round after scraping home 79-74 over Brazil.

There were some tense moments for the Australian players watching in the stands as the South Americans overturned a 19-point first-half deficit to trail by one with 22.9 seconds left, but Lithuania held firm to help the Boomers achieve their pre-tournament goal.

In a group containing European champion Greece, Baltic powerhouse Lithuania, FIBA America's victor Brazil and huge improvers Turkey, the young Boomers have done exceptionally well to finish fourth and qualify for the knockout stage.

But only the bravest of souls would back them to get past the round of 16 in Saitama on Sunday.

Andrew Bogut has the most knowledge of the obscenely talented Americans after his rookie NBA season in Milwaukee.

They are led by Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, possibly the most talented triumvirate in international basketball, and point guard Chris Paul, who got the nod ahead of Bogut for rookie of the year in 2005-06.

The Australian centre is well aware of the enormity of the task, but the fierce competitor in him won't allow him to simply hoist a white flag.

"It's going to be a big challenge," Bogut told BA Media’s James Dampney.

"We're either going to be another peg in their run or can seriously come out and try to play hard against them.

"You never know what could happen."

Thursday's big win over Qatar has given the team a timely boost after it suffered three consecutive defeats.

Mark Worthington slotted into the starting line-up ahead of David Barlow and responded with a game-high 17 points, followed by Jason Smith's 16.

Size will now be the biggest obstacle against the US for the Australians, who have been hammered on the glass throughout the tournament.

Bogut, Worthington, Sam Mackinnon and Wade Helliwell will have to perform super-human feats on the boards.

"Playing hard won't be a problem," Bogut said. "What's going to be a problem is their size, their rebounding and their athleticism.

"We haven't seen a team like that. We've seen Europeans that we've got into full-court and made them turn the ball over.

"Now it's going to be a different story."

Australian coach Brian Goorjian knows a clash with the US will give basketball a timely boost back home.

"The Dream Team has such an effect on basketball all over the world and we're trying to grow basketball in Australia," he said.

"For the Boomers to play against them and come out and play with the culture we've displayed in this tournament and do our country proud, we'd do a great service for basketball."