Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RaptorsatWizards

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   NetsatSuns

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

3. #3

   NuggetsatClippers

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

4. #4

   BucksatBulls

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

5. #5

   WarriorsatLakers

   NBA

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

6. #6

   HeatatMagic

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

7. #7

   CavaliersatCeltics

   NBA· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

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.