Worth the replay?

Wednesday, November 12's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →
  1. #1
    DevilsatBlackhawks
    NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    A
    75/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

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

  2. #2
    S IllinoisatNevada
    CBBOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    74/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

  3. #3
    SamfordatTexas Southern
    CBBOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    74/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

  4. #4
    UC San DiegoatFresno St
    CBBDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    69/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

  5. #5
    North TexasatOregon St
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    69/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

  6. #6
    TulsaatOral Roberts
    CBBDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

  7. #7
    Long Beach StatPacific
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  8. #8
    Montana StatStanford
    CBB· ACCNXDown to the wire
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  9. #9
    UT MartinatBradley
    CBB· ESPN+Big comeback
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

  10. #10
    NichollsatValparaiso
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

  11. #11
    MercyhurstatCanisius
    CBB· ESPN+
    B
    57/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

  12. #12
    CavaliersatHeat
    NBADown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    57/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

  13. #13
    WarriorsatSpurs
    NBABig comeback
    B
    56/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  14. #14
    OilersatFlyers
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

  15. #15
    IdahoatSan Diego
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  16. #16
    ManhattanatUtah Tech
    CBBDown to the wire
    C+
    52/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

  17. #17
    Trail BlazersatPelicans
    NBA
    C+
    47/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension29/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late12/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

  18. #18
    Purdue FWatW Michigan
    CBB· ESPN+Big comeback
    C
    42/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension13/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

  19. #19
    DartmouthatBryant
    CBB· ESPN+
    C
    41/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension17/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41

  20. #20
    MTSUatEvansville
    CBB· ESPN+
    C
    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension23/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40

  21. #21
    BullsatPistons
    NBA
    C
    39/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension28/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late8/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39

  22. #22
    SunsatMavericks
    NBA
    C
    35/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

  23. #23
    SabresatMammoth
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    33/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late3/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

  24. #24
    S Dakota StatOregon
    CBB· Peacock
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension21/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

  25. #25
    NuggetsatClippers
    NBA
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

  26. #26
    SienaatSt Bonaventure
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late1/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  27. #27
    MagicatKnicks
    NBA· ESPN
    D
    22/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

  28. #28
    MinnesotaatMissouri
    CBB· SECN+
    D
    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

  29. #29
    ElonatMarshall
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension11/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

  30. #30
    UTSAatTexas St
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension15/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

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.

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