WASHINGTON — There was no way that last shot could go in. No way the Washington Wizards could lose their first game without the only owner the franchise had ever known through 46 seasons.

Louis Williams' 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out, giving the Wizards an emotional 108-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers last night, hours after the death of team owner Abe Pollin.

"I guess Mr. P, he probably contested that last shot better than anybody," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said.

Down the hall, the opposing coach — who worked for Pollin until last season — uttered the same thought.

"Maybe Abe's spirit knocked that out," 76ers coach Eddie Jordan said.

Antawn Jamison had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and Nick Young returned from end-of-the-bench exile to add 20 points for the Wizards on a night when the team's internal squabbling felt extremely trite. The focus of this game was going to be Jordan's return to Washington exactly one year to the day after he was fired, along with Gilbert Arenas' squabbles with teammate Caron Butler over how to play in Saunders' new offensive system.

Instead, the arena was full of heavy hearts paying tribute to Pollin, who died at the age of 85.

"It was a hard evening," said Arenas, who had 17 points and eight assists but also six turnovers. "But at the end of the day Abe Pollin loved us so much that we couldn't feel the pain until after the game. We had to go out there and just play. He wouldn't want us to stop doing what he loved."

Williams' layup pulled Philadelphia to 108-107 with 40 seconds remaining. After Arenas committed a turnover, Williams dribbled down the clock and missed the potential game-winning shot.

Pollin's death was announced by his company, Washington Sports & Entertainment. No details were disclosed but Pollin suffered from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disorder that impairs movement and balance.

"The NBA family has lost its most revered member, whose stewardship of the Wizards franchise, together with his wife Irene, has been a study in unparalleled dedication to the city of Washington," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "During his illness he fought with a determination and valor that will remain an inspiration to all."

Nuggets 101, Nets 87: Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points, Nene added 17 and Denver won its 16th straight regular-season home game, including all six this season, while handing New Jersey its 14th straight loss to start the season.

At 0-14, the Nets are creeping closer to the NBA record of 17 consecutive losses to start a season, which is held by Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Raptors 123, Pacers, 112: Chris Bosh had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Jose Calderon scored 21 points and host Toronto saw its 21-point halftime lead cut to five late in the third quarter before pulling away to hand Indiana its fourth straight loss.

Warriors 111, Mavericks 103: Monta Ellis scored a season-high 37 points, Anthony Morrow added a season-best 27 and visiting Golden State used a 14-2 run to take the lead for good, 103-100, with 2:20 left in ending Dallas' five-game winning streak.

Thunder 104, Jazz 94: Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Jeff Green added 19 points and visiting Oklahoma City built a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter and didn't allow Utah to get any closer than eight down the stretch.

Lakers 100, Knicks 90: Kobe Bryant scored 34 points, Pau Gasol added 11 points and 16 rebounds, and host Los Angeles exploited a major size advantage in racing past New York for its fourth consecutive victory.