Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BullsatCavaliers

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

2. #2

   MavericksatWizards

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

3. #3

   Trail BlazersatHeat

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

4. #4

   Raptorsat76ers

   NBABack and forth

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

5. #5

   PelicansatSpurs

   NBA

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

6. #6

   SunsatClippers

   NBA· ESPN

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

7. #7

   LakersatHawks

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   PacersatNuggets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.