Worth the replay?

1. #1

   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

2. #2

   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

3. #3

   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

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.