OPB’s First Look: Blazers drop playoff homecoming

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Good morning, Northwest.

If you were among the fans at the Portland Trail Blazers’ home playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center last night, you may be feeling disappointed after Portland’s loss. But if you couldn’t attend in person, there’s still a way to catch the vibe. OPB’s Bryce Dole was there capturing the moment from the scene.

Meanwhile, today marks the annual Independent Bookstore Day. Up north in Seattle, more than 30 independent bookstores are taking part in a 10-day celebration focused on stocking shelves with books from local sellers. KUOW’s Katie Campbell spoke with two of the participating bookstores.

Here’s your First Look at Saturday’s news.

— Winston Szeto

Portland Trail Blazers lose 120-108 in playoff homecoming

After a turbulent season, the Portland Trail Blazers returned to an electrified Moda Center last night, taking on the San Antonio Spurs in their first home playoff game in five years.

But it was a difficult homecoming, as the team gave up a 15-point second half lead and couldn’t keep up with a fourth quarter surge by the Spurs and lost 120-108. The win puts the Spurs up 2-1 in the best of seven game series.

“I just feel bad that we couldn’t bring a W,” Interim Head Coach Tiago Splitter told reporters after the game. “The fans were amazing. They brought the energy. They were there with us.”

The game last night was packed with more than 20,000 chanting people who were thrilled to see the Blazers back in Portland in the postseason. (Bryce Dole)

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3 things to know

1. President Donald Trump is invoking an obscure law that allows the military to pollute waterways in the Owyhee region, a remote sagebrush desert shared by Oregon, Idaho and Nevada. (April Ehrlich)
2. The 30th annual Masters Covered Bridge Regatta at Dexter Lake, organized by the Oregon Association of Rowers, will see rowers from the Pacific Northwest gather for a day of races today. (Brian Bull)
3. The Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon, set for tomorrow, will be bigger than ever, closing a few main roads including Franklin Boulevard near Agate Street in Eugene and Main Street in Springfield. (Karen Richards)

Northwest Headlines

• Oregon State Marine Board to accept public comment on proposed motorized boat ban on upper Siletz River (Brian Bahouth)
• Dark sky advocates urge Eugene to adopt more protections against light pollution (Nathan Wilk)
• Thousands sign petition urging PeaceHealth to renew local ER doctors’ contract (Tiffany Eckert)
• Josephine County commissioner race draws crowded field (Roman Battaglia)
• Top credit rating agency puts Washington on notice (Jerry Cornfield)
• Why Portland’s veteran bicycle journalist Jonathan Maus is taking a break (Lillian Karabaic)

‘Amazon can never be us’: How Seattle’s independent bookstores have met the digital age

Seattle Independent Bookstore Day is today, kicking off 10 days dedicated to filling your shelves with books from local booksellers, with 33 participating stores in the Seattle area alone.

Edwin Lindo, co-founder of Estelita’s Library, says community is key to him and his co-founder and wife, Dr. Estell Williams. Books were just the beginning when the space originally opened in Beacon Hill.

Estelita’s Library, then and now, is an organizing space, a “community living room.”

It’s quite the opposite of another local entity that started with books. Just don’t call Estelita’s the anti-Amazon.

“I don’t like to be the anti of anything,” Lindo said. “Our imagination is so unique and innovative that it could never actually have been created by something that wasn’t grounded in community.” (Katie Campbell)

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