Best games of Oct 20–26

The most dramatic games of the week, ranked the same way as Worth the replay?: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime, weighted by how big a game it was. No scores, no winners.

  1. #1
    TimberwolvesatCavaliers
    NBA· Mon, Oct 26OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    A+
    98/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 95) = 98

  2. #2
    LakersatJazz
    NBA· Sun, Oct 25Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    A
    81/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 81

  3. #3
    Cavaliersat76ers
    NBA· Thu, Oct 22· ESPNDown to the wireBig comeback
    A
    81/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.91 (pre-game Watchability 81) = 81

  4. #4
    76ersatKnicks
    NBA· Tue, Oct 20· NBCDown to the wire
    A
    80/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 98) = 80

  5. #5
    CelticsatPistons
    NBA· Tue, Oct 20· NBCDown to the wireBig comeback
    A
    79/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late7/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 93) = 79

  6. #6
    RocketsatSpurs
    NBA· Fri, Oct 23· Prime VideoDown to the wireBack and forth
    A
    77/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 77

  7. #7
    KnicksatCeltics
    NBA· Fri, Oct 23· Prime VideoDown to the wire
    B+
    71/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 99) = 71

  8. #8
    MagicatKnicks
    NBA· Sun, Oct 25Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    71/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.84 (pre-game Watchability 69) = 71

  9. #9
    HawksatMagic
    NBA· Wed, Oct 21Down to the wire
    B+
    71/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 76) = 71

  10. #10
    TimberwolvesatHeat
    NBA· Wed, Oct 21· ESPNBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    71/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension11/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 71

  11. #11
    HeatatHornets
    NBA· Sat, Oct 24Down to the wire
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 70) = 67

  12. #12
    MavericksatHeat
    NBA· Mon, Oct 26· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    63/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 38) = 63

  13. #13
    GrizzliesatWarriors
    NBA· Fri, Oct 23Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B
    63/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 63

  14. #14
    PacersatPelicans
    NBA· Wed, Oct 21Down to the wireBig comeback
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 62

  15. #15
    PelicansatNuggets
    NBA· Sat, Oct 24OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    61/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 61

  16. #16
    BullsatBucks
    NBA· Fri, Oct 23Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B
    58/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 15) = 58

  17. #17
    WizardsatHornets
    NBA· Mon, Oct 26Down to the wireBack and forth
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late12/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 48) = 53

  18. #18
    PacersatBucks
    NBA· Mon, Oct 26Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    C+
    52/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 52

  19. #19
    PelicansatJazz
    NBA· Fri, Oct 23Down to the wire
    C+
    47/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 18) = 47

  20. #20
    GrizzliesatJazz
    NBA· Mon, Oct 26Down to the wire
    C
    45/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 28) = 45

  21. #21
    WarriorsatNuggets
    NBA· Mon, Oct 26· NBCSNBig comebackBack and forth
    C
    44/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.67 (pre-game Watchability 34) = 44

  22. #22
    MavericksatPacers
    NBA· Fri, Oct 23
    C
    44/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 32) = 44

  23. #23
    ClippersatThunder
    NBA· Sun, Oct 25Down to the wireBack and forth
    C
    43/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 43

  24. #24
    SpursatMavericks
    NBA· Sat, Oct 24Back and forth
    C
    41/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late7/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.83 (pre-game Watchability 66) = 41

  25. #25
    RocketsatHawks
    NBA· Sat, Oct 24
    C
    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension11/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 40

Updated nightly. Games from before our pre-game Watchability numbers start (early September) use an estimate from the AP rankings for college football and an average for the rest.