Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Trail BlazersatJazz

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   LakersatTimberwolves

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   GrizzliesatSuns

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

4. #4

   HawksatNets

   NBA

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension26/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

5. #5

   PacersatMavericks

   NBA

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

6. #6

   CavaliersatCeltics

   NBA· ESPNBack and forth

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

7. #7

   KingsatBulls

   NBA

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

8. #8

   MagicatPistons

   NBA

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

9. #9

   RocketsatRaptors

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

10. #10

    PelicansatNuggets

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

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.