Worth the replay?

1. #1

   WizardsatPistons

   NBA· PeacockOvertimeDown 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. #2

   CavaliersatHeat

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

3. #3

   BucksatMavericks

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

4. #4

   SpursatBulls

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

5. #5

   HawksatClippers

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

6. #6

   Trail BlazersatMagic

   NBADown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

7. #7

   TimberwolvesatJazz

   NBA

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

8. #8

   LakersatHornets

   NBA

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

9. #9

   PelicansatSuns

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

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.