Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TimberwolvesatKnicks

   NBA· NBA TVOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

2. #2

   CavaliersatBulls

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

3. #3

   PistonsatBucks

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

4. #4

   HornetsatThunder

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.