Worth the replay?

1. #1

   GrizzliesatCavaliers

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

2. #2

   NuggetsatTimberwolves

   NBABack and forth

   C

   41/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41

3. #3

   RaptorsatPacers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

4. #4

   LakersatBucks

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

5. #5

   ThunderatHornets

   NBABack and forthOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

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.