From whom would playoff berth be most satisfying? I say Utah

Out of the four teams currently fighting for the eighth spot in the Western Conference, who would be most gratified to earn that berth?

The Houston Rockets? In their post-Yao era, they tried to trade half their team before the season started to rebuild around Pau Gasol. That didn’t happen after the original Chris Paul trade was vetoed, and the two players who would probably be most gratified are Luis Scola and Goran Dragic, who were a part of the original deal but have played like true professionals for a team that was ready to dump them.

The Denver Nuggets? They have been in upheaval mode for well more than a year, beginning with the infamous MeloDrama that led to his trade to the New York Knicks, then subsequent deals that sent Ray Felton to the Blazers and Nene to the Wizards — not to mention that they lost Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith to free agency, and got back a damaged Wilson Chandler after the Chinese season ended, and that came after Danilo Galinari missed a large portion of the season. To go through so much turmoil and still find themselves in the postseason would be highly gratifying and a testament to the abilities of coach George Karl. It looks like they are going to get there. As Karl said, they need at least one more win.

The Phoenix Suns? They were considered a flat-out disaster just two months ago, with the only thing people wanting to talk about being where Steve Nash would choose to finish his career. But Alvin Gentry has made them into one of the winningest teams in the league over he second half of the season, putting himself squarely in the Coach of the Year debate. The Suns are a franchise that never truly went into rebuilding mode when front office leadership switched from Steve Kerr to Lon Babby, although that figures to happen this summer — especially if a certain 38-year-old who was leading the league in assists for most of the season moves on.

But what about the Utah Jazz? They were an afterthought at the beginning of the season, a team coming out of its own cyclone of turbulence from last season when coach Jerry Sloan unexpectedly resigned and then Deron Williams was subsequently traded for a King’s ransom. But the Jazz got back a solid player in Devin Harris, a draft pick they used on Enes Kanter, and another draft pick (Golden State’s) that could yield a blue-chipper if the Warriors have to relinquish it by finishing eighth or lower in the draft lottery. So they are a team going through a rebuilding mode yet being able to contend while they do so, primarily because of their talented big man duo of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.

Almost nobody made a case that the Jazz were playoff worthy before the season began, yet here they are with a chance to make it.

Who would be most gratified by making the postseason in the West? Utah is my answer.