Worth the replay?

1. #1

   NuggetsatThunder

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

2. #2

   KingsatLakers

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

3. #3

   CanucksatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

4. #4

   LouisvilleatMiami

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 63

5. #5

   San José StatUtah State

   CFB· CBSSNDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 62

6. #6

   NetsatRaptors

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

7. #7

   LightningatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

8. #8

   ClippersatWarriors

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50

9. #9

   North CarolinaatCalifornia

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 46

10. #10

    HornetsatKnicks

    NBA

    C

    43/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension26/30

    Swings17/25

    Comeback5/20

    Decided late5/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

11. #11

    GrizzliesatHeat

    NBABack and forth

    C

    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension8/30

    Swings22/25

    Comeback13/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40

12. #12

    NebraskaatMinnesota

    CFB· Fox

    D

    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback12/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 21

13. #13

    PacersatSpurs

    NBA

    D

    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension2/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback3/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

14. #14

    SharksatMammoth

    NHL· ESPN+/HuluOne-sided

    D

    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

15. #15

    WildatCapitals

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

16. #16

    Timberwolvesat76ers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

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.