The Nuggets had a charmed run to an NBA title. This year won’t be as easy.

LOS ANGELES — When Victor Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to an astonishing comeback victory over the Denver Nuggets last week, the rookie sensation provided an unwelcome reminder to the reigning NBA champions: Title defenses are tricky business. Rather than entering the playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed, the loss dropped Denver into the second slot and a first-round date with the Los Angeles Lakers, who reached last year’s Western Conference finals. If the Nuggets had held off the lowly Spurs in the penultimate game of the...