This affiliate content is not influenced by our advertising relationships, but AP and Data Skrive might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content.

LOS ANGELES — For the NBA romantics out there, for those who see the game as more than X’s and O’s on a white board and Defensive Real Plus-Minus on a spreadsheet, what is not to love about the first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves?