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

   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

4. #4

   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

5. #5

   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

6. #6

   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

7. #7

   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

8. #8

   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.