Worth the replay?

Thursday, November 13'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
    IslandersatGolden Knights
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    72/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

  2. #2
    KingsatMaple Leafs
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    71/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

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

  3. #3
    Charleston SoatAlabama A&M
    CBBDown to the wire
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  4. #4
    PurdueatAlabama
    CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
    B
    61/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

  5. #5
    UL MonroeatHou Christian
    CBB· ESPN+Big comeback
    B
    55/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension25/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

  6. #6
    Elizabeth CityatEast Carolina
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    49/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

  7. #7
    BruinsatSenators
    NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    49/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late9/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

  8. #8
    JetsatKraken
    NHL· ESPN+Back and forth
    C+
    47/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

  9. #9
    HawksatJazz
    NBADown to the wire
    C+
    45/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late9/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

  10. #10
    Alcorn StatHoward
    CBB· ESPN+
    C
    37/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension22/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  11. #11
    SabresatAvalanche
    NHL· ESPN+
    C
    35/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  12. #12
    RaptorsatCavaliers
    NBA· NBA TVBig comeback
    D
    35/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension13/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  13. #13
    Southern MissatGrambling
    CBB
    D
    34/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension23/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

  14. #14
    OilersatBlue Jackets
    NHL· ESPN+/Hulu
    D
    32/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

  15. #15
    MonmouthatSeton Hall
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension8/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  16. #16
    UMass LowellatColumbia
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

  17. #17
    SharksatFlames
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

  18. #18
    CornellatLafayette
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  19. #19
    Wash AdventistatNC A&T
    CBBBack and forth
    D
    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension12/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

  20. #20
    DucksatRed Wings
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

  21. #21
    CapitalsatPanthers
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

  22. #22
    PittatWest Virginia
    CBB· FS1One-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

  23. #23
    CaliforniaatKansas St
    CBB· CBSSNOne-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension7/30
    Swings8/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

  24. #24
    JetsatPatriots
    NFL· Prime VideoOne-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

  25. #25
    PacersatSuns
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

  26. #26
    StarsatCanadiens
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  27. #27
    Loyola ChicagoatWichita St
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  28. #28
    San José StatMichigan St
    CBB· BTNOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  29. #29
    Pitt-GreensbrgatRobert Morris
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  30. #30
    Le MoyneatUMass
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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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