Worth the replay?

Tuesday, October 28's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
76ersatWizards
NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback20/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
KnicksatBucks
NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings24/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#3
Blue JacketsatSabres
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#4
JetsatWild
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
71/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71
#5
KingsatThunder
NBADown to the wireBig comeback
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#6
Golden KnightsatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
63/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63
#7
PenguinsatFlyers
NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#8
FlamesatMaple Leafs
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#9
CanadiensatKraken
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
61/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61
#10
DucksatPanthers
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#11
KingsatSharks
NHL· ESPNDown to the wire
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late7/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#12
MammothatOilers
NHL· ESPN+
D
35/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings23/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35
#13
IslandersatBruins
NHL· ESPN+
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings19/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#14
UTEPatKennesaw St
CFB· ESPNU
D
27/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings16/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late1/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 27
#15
RangersatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+
D
25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
#16
ClippersatWarriors
NBA· NBC/Peacock
D
25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings19/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
#17
CapitalsatStars
NHL· ESPN
D
21/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21
#18
HornetsatHeat
NBABack and forth
D
19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings12/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
#19
Red WingsatBlues
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings11/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#20
DevilsatAvalanche
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings19/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#21
SenatorsatBlackhawks
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings19/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#22
LightningatPredators
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
12/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension8/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12
#23
James MadisonatTexas St
CFB· ESPN2One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 8

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.