Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HornetsatPelicans

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   76ersatBulls

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

3. #3

   ThunderatClippers

   NBA· NBC/Peacock

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

4. #4

   BucksatRaptors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

5. #5

   MagicatHawks

   NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

6. #6

   SunsatWarriors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

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.