Worth the replay?

1. #1

   NuggetsatTrail Blazers

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   RaptorsatCavaliers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   KnicksatBulls

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

4. #4

   Celticsat76ers

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

5. #5

   PelicansatClippers

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

6. #6

   LakersatGrizzlies

   NBA· Prime VideoBig comeback

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

7. #7

   IslandersatCapitals

   NHL· NHL Net

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

8. #8

   North CarolinaatSyracuse

   CFB· ESPNBig comeback

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 30

9. #9

   HawksatPacers

   NBA

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

10. #10

    AvalancheatGolden Knights

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension19/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late3/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

11. #11

    Red WingsatDucks

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

12. #12

    JazzatSuns

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension3/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

13. #13

    MemphisatRice

    CFB· ESPN2One-sided

    D

    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 0

14. #14

    Sam HoustonatLouisiana Tech

    CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

    D

    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 0

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.