I landed in Denver amid a thunderstorm and was stuck on the airport tarmac for half an hour because ground crews are not allowed to be outside directing the plane toward the gate when there's lightning in the area.

Meanwhile, I'm writing this while sitting in a giant sardine can filled with 200 passengers as lightning strikes all around us. Good times!

Q&A of the day

Question: How can the Lakers claim fatigue as a factor? It's not as if they play hard every game. Taking games off should give them extra rest, no?

--Moneil Patel

Answer: The Lakers better not be tired. They got plenty of rest in the second quarter Thursday.

View from the other bench

From columnist Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post:

"Both contests have been classics worthy of framing. There appears to be almost nothing to choose between the teams. Except one thing: The Nuggets have so much fight no sane man would want to mess with them.

"Quitting is not an option for Denver. The Lakers know now: There is no way Denver will ever surrender."

Good point, even though the Nuggets surrendered before the NBA Finals each of their previous 32 years in the league.

Worst-case Lakers scenario

Andrew Bynum is unceremoniously pulled from the game again. Carmelo Anthony again scores in the high 30s. Chris "The Birdman" Andersen begins flapping his arms after a big play. Nuggets fans, unaccustomed to being ahead in a meaningful playoff series, go bonkers. It won't be pretty for the Lakers .

Final thought

I see a split of these two games in Denver, but tonight's not the one the Lakers get. The Lakers will face their first series deficit of the playoffs.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com